This was well carried out; they took their places, and after some delay I managed to collect about forty elephants into a straight line, not more than 4 or 6 feet from each other. The word was given for the advance, and the effect was splendid. The crash through the yielding mass was overpowering; the dark plumes of the tamarisk bowed down before the irresistible phalanx of elephants; the crackling of the broken stems was like the sound of fire rushing through a cane-brake, and this was enlivened by sudden nervous squeals, loud trumpets, sharp blows of kettle-drums, deep roars, and all the numerous sounds which elephants produce when in a state of high nervous excitement. I felt sure that at times the tiger was only a few feet in our advance, and that it was slinking away before the line. The elephants increased in excitement; sometimes two or three twisted suddenly round, and broke the line. A halt was ordered, and although it was impossible to see beyond the animal on the immediate right and left, the order was given to dress into an exact line, and then to advance. In this manner, with continual halts to re-form, we continued our uncertain but irresistible advance. Suddenly we emerged upon a swampy piece of grass interspersed with clumps of tamarisk; here there was intense excitement among the elephants, several turned tail and bolted in an opposite direction; when the cause was quickly discovered, by a large tiger passing exactly in front of me not 20 yards distant, and showing himself most distinctly, giving me a lovely chance. The elephant we rode was a female named Sutchnimia, and she had been introduced to my notice as infallible, her character as usual being well supported by her mahout; but no sooner did this heroic beast descry the tiger, than she twisted herself into every possible contortion, throwing herself about in the most aimless attitudes, with a vigour that threatened the safety of the howdah and severely taxed the strength of the girth-ropes. The tiger (a fine male) suddenly stopped, and turned three-parts round, apparently amazed at the gesticulations of the elephant; and there the beast stood, exposing the shoulder to a most certain shot if the elephant would have kept decently quiet for only two seconds. The fact of the tiger having halted, and remaining in view within 20 yards, only aggravated the terror of Sutchnimia, and she commenced shaking her colossal body like a dog that has just emerged from water. It was as much as we could do to hold on with both hands to the howdah rails; my watch was smashed, the cartridges in my belt were bent and doubled up against the pressure of the front rail and rendered useless, while the mahout was punching the head of his refractory animal with the iron spike, and the tiger was staring with astonishment at the display upon our side.