242 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS 
CHAP. 
continuing to beat the jungle in sections until it 
should be thoroughly driven out. 
I had hardly turned the elephant, when we were 
startled by tremendous roars of a tiger, continued in 
quick succession within 50 yards of the position 
that I occupied. I never heard either before or 
since such a volume of sound proceeding from a 
single animal; there was a horrible significance in 
the grating and angry voice that betokened the 
extreme fury of attack. Not an instant was lost! 
The mahout was an excellent man, as cool as a! 
cucumber, and never over-excited. He obeyed the 
order to advance straight towards the spot, in which 
the angry roars still continued without intermission. 
Moolah Bux was a thoroughly dependable 
elephant, but although moving forward with a 
majestic and determined step, it was in vain that I 
endeavoured to hurry the mahout; both man and 
beast appeared to understand their business thor¬ 
oughly, but to my ideas the pace was woefully slow 
if assistance was required in danger. 
The ground was slightly rising, and the jungle 
thick with saplings about 20 feet in height, and as 
thick as a man’s leg; these formed an undergrowth 
among the larger forest trees. 
Moolah Bux crashed with ponderous weight 
through the resisting mass, bearing down all 
obstacles before him as he steadily made his way 
through the intervening growth. The roars had 
now ceased. There were no leaves upon the trees 
at this advanced season, and one could see the 
