Wild Beasts and Their Ways, Reminiscences of Europe, Asia, Africa and America — Volume 1Baker, Samuel White, Sir
History
Wild Beasts and Their Ways, Reminiscences of Europe, Asia, Africa and America — Volume 1
Baker, Samuel White, Sir
Animal behavior; Hunting
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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