254 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA YS 
CHAP. 
Moolah Bux commenced his stately march, 
walking so close to the hard edge of the deep 
nullahs that I was rather anxious lest the bank 
should suddenly give way. The instinct of an 
elephant is extraordinary in the selection of firm 
ground. Although it appeared dangerous to me, 
Moolah Bux was perfectly satisfied that the ground 
would bear his weight, and he continued his risky 
march, both up and down a number of those 
monotonous ravines which scored the slopes in all 
directions, but without success. 
The sun was like fire, and it was difficult to grasp 
the barrel of the rifle. It was past noon, and we had 
been working unceasingly since 6 a.m. The bottoms 
of the ravines were filled some feet in depth with 
dry leaves, which had fallen from the trees (now 
naked) which fringed the banks, therefore we could 
have seen a cat had she been lying either in the 
nullah or upon the barren sides. “ There is no 
tigress here,” said Berry ; “ this is one of those sly 
brutes, that kills and eats, but does not remain near 
her kill; she is probably a couple of miles away 
while we are looking for her in these coverless 
nullahs.” 
These words were hardly uttered, when we sud¬ 
denly heard a rushing sound like a strong wind, which 
seemed to disturb the dried leaves in the deep bottom 
somewhere in our front. At first I could hardly 
understand the cause, but in a few seconds a large 
tigress sprang up the bank, and appeared about 20 
paces in our front. Without a moment’s hesitation 
