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
The first time that I witnessed the high character of this elephant was
connected with a regrettable incident which caused the death of one man
and the mutilation of two others, who would probably have been killed
had not Moolah Bux been present. The description of this day's
experience will explain the necessity of a staunch shikar elephant when
tiger-shooting, as the position may be one that would render it
impossible to approach on foot when a wounded and furious tiger is in
dense jungle, perhaps with some unfortunate beater in its clutches.
I was shooting in the Central Provinces, accompanied by my lamented
friend the late Mr. Berry, who was at that time Assistant-Commissioner
at Jubbulpur.
We were shooting in the neighbourhood of Moorwarra, keeping a line as
nearly as possible parallel with the railway, limiting our distance to
20 miles in order to obtain supplies. This arrangement enabled us to
receive 30 lbs. of ice daily from Allahabad, as a coolie was despatched
from the station immediately upon arrival of the train, the address of
our camp being daily communicated to the stationmaster. It was the hot
season in the end of April, when a good supply of ice is beyond price;
the soda-water was supplied from Jubbulpur, and with good tents, kuskos
tatties, and cool drinks, the heat was bearable. It was this heat that
had brought the tigers within range, as all water-springs and brooks
were dried up, the tanks had evaporated, and the only water procurable
was limited to the deep holes in the bends of streams that were of
considerable importance in the cooler seasons of the year. The native
headmen had received orders from the Deputy-Commissioner to send
immediate information should any tigers be reported in their respective
districts; they had also received special instructions to tie up
buffaloes for bait should the tracks of tigers be discovered. The latter
order was a mistake, as the buffaloes should not have been tied up until
our arrival at the locality; upon several occasions the animals were
killed and eaten some days before we were able to arrive upon the scene.
This was proved to be the case upon our arrival at Bijore, about nine
miles from the town of Moorwarra, where the zealous official had
exhibited too eager a spirit for our sport. Two buffaloes had been tied
up about half a mile apart, near the dry bed of a river, where in an
abrupt bend the current had scooped out a deep hole in which a little
water still remained. Both buffaloes had been killed, and upon our
arrival early in the morning nothing could be discovered except a few
scattered bones and the parched and withered portions of tough hide.
There were tracks of tigers upon the sand near the drinking-place, also
marks of cheetul and wild pigs, therefore we determined to drive the
neighbouring jungle without delay.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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