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Wild Beasts and Their Ways

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line. Each elephant was to retain invariably the same position every day, as the mahouts and their beasts would be more likely to act harmoniously if always associated together in the beat. The fast elephants, being at the extreme ends, would be able to turn quickly upon the centre whenever necessary. Four elephants were told off as scouts; these were the most active, with intelligent mahouts. The men appeared to take an intense interest in the sport, and in the regularity of the arrangements, as they were equally aware with myself of the necessity for strict order and discipline, where only one solitary gun represented the offensive capacity of the line. The ordinary method of tiger-shooting with a long line of elephants comprises five or six guns placed at intervals. I dislike this style of sport, as it engenders wild and inaccurate firing. Every person wishes to secure a chance, therefore no opportunity is lost, and wherever the grass is seen to move, a bullet is directed at the spot. If only one gun is present, extreme caution and good management are necessary to ensure the death of a tiger, and the result of twenty-five days' shooting on the churs of the Brahmaputra was highly satisfactory, as during that period eight tigers and three leopards _only_ were moved, and every one was bagged; thus nothing whatever escaped. I always make a point of allowing the Government reward as a bonus, without any deductions for buffalo baits or beaters, and this amount I divide among the shikaris and mahouts according to my estimation of their merits; this gives them an additional interest in the proceedings. We were now thoroughly organised, and, if the tigers had been in the numbers that existed some years ago, we should have made a more than ordinary bag. The difficulty of managing so long a line of elephants with a tiger on foot, and only one gun, was shortly made apparent. One of our baits had been killed, and the body had been dragged into about twelve acres of wild rose. This bush produces a blossom rather larger than the common dog-rose of English hedges, and equally lovely. Although it is armed with a certain amount of thorns, it is not to be compared with the British variety as a formidable barrier, but, as it delights in swamp hollows, it grows into the densest foliage, about 18 feet high, and forms an impenetrable screen of tangled and matted vegetation. No human being could force his way through a network of wild rose, therefore it forms a desirable retreat for all wild animals, who can penetrate beneath it, and enjoy the protection of cool shade, and undisturbed seclusion. In an open grass country it may be readily imagined that tigers would be certain to resort to such inviting covert, where they would be secure from all intrusion, and to which cavernous density they could drag and conceal their prey. Upon arrival about three miles from camp at this isolated patch of rose jungle, I felt sure that the tiger must be within. There was a similar but rather smaller area of wild rose about 3/4 mile distant, and it was highly probable that should the tiger be disturbed, it might slink away, break covert at the extreme end, and make off across the open grassland to the neighbouring shelter. I therefore posted myself outside the jungle in a kind of bay, where I considered the tiger would emerge from his secure hiding-place before he should risk a gallop across the open. I threw out scouts as usual, and I sent the line of elephants round, to drive the jungle towards me from the opposite extremity. A certain time elapsed, and at length I perceived the approach, in splendid line, each elephant as nearly as possible equidistant from its neighbour. They marched forward in regular array until within a couple of hundred yards of my position; then suddenly I heard a trumpet, trunks were thrown up in the air, the line wavered, and a succession of well-known sounds showed that a tiger was before them. The mahouts steadied their animals, brought them again into a correct line, and the advance continued. I was riding a large male elephant named Thompson; this was a fine animal with formidable tusks, but he was most unsteady. Already he was swaying to and fro with high excitement, as he knew full well by the trumpets and sounds of the other elephants that a tiger was not far distant. Presently I saw the jungle shake, and a hog-deer dashed out within a few yards of me; the elephant whisked suddenly round; this prepared me for a display of his nervousness. Again the rose bushes moved, and I distinctly observed a yellowish body stealing beneath the tangled mass; it was quickly lost to sight. The line of beating elephants was coming slowly forward, crashing their way through the bush, and occasionally giving a shrill scream, when again I saw the bushes move; without further introduction a very large tigress gave two or three roars, and rushed out of the jungle exactly opposite my position, straight at my elephant. Before I had time to raise my rifle, the elephant spun round as though upon a pivot, and ran off for a few paces, making it impossible for me to fire. The tiger, probably alarmed, turned back into the secure fortress of wild rose. We now knew that the tiger was positively between the line of elephants and myself. I felt sure that it would not show again at the same place; I therefore selected a favourable spot about 100 yards to my left upon some slightly rising ground, and the elephants wheeled and beat directly towards me. Nothing moved except pigs, which all broke back at a wild rush between the elephants' legs, two of which had slight cuts from the tusks of boars, which had made a spiteful dig at the opposing legs whilst passing. At length the line arrived within 20 yards from the margin of the thick jungle; here a regular rush took place; several hog-deer dashed back, but at the same time a tiger bounded forward, and galloped across the open grass-land in the direction of the neighbouring wild-rose covert. The scouts holloaed, waved their puggarees, and then rode after the tiger as hard as they could press their active elephants. My steed Thompson had behaved disgracefully, as he had again twisted suddenly round, and was so unsteady that although the tigress was not 10 yards from me I had not the power of firing; I accordingly relinquished

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