226 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA YS 
CHAP. 
rushing at great speed, making a most determined 
charge at the nervous Thompson. Away went my 
elephant as hard as he could go, tearing along 
through the grass as though a locomotive engine 
had left the rails, and no power would stop him 
until we had run at least 120 yards. During this 
run, with the tiger in pursuit for a certain distance, 
I fully expected to see it clinging to the crupper ; 
however, by the time we turned the elephant it had 
retreated to the high grass covert. 
I felt sure this was the wounded tiger, although 
Michael declared that it was a fresh animal, and that 
two had been together. 
I now pushed the elephant into the middle of the 
grass, and holloaed to the line to advance in a half¬ 
circle, as I was convinced that the tiger was some¬ 
where between me and the approaching elephants. 
They came on tolerably well, although a few 
were rather scared. At length they halted about 70 
yards from me, and, as I knew that the tiger was 
not far off, I ordered the left wing (on my right) to 
close in, so as to come round me, by which move¬ 
ment the tiger would be forced to within a close shot. 
Before the line had time to advance, there was a 
sudden roar, and a tiger sprang from the grass, and 
seized a large muckna (tuskless male) by the trunk, 
pulling it down upon its knees so instantaneously 
that the mahout was thrown to the ground. 
As quick as lightning the tiger relinquished 
its hold upon the elephant and seized the unfor¬ 
tunate mahout. 
