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 day after the accident described, we were sitting beneath the shade
of a mango grove at about 4 P.M. when a native arrived at the camp with
news that a tiger had just killed a valuable cow which gave him a large
supply of milk, and the body was lying about 2 miles distant. The tragic
incident of the previous day had established a panic in the village, and
the natives were not in the humour to turn out as beaters. I quite
shared their feeling, as I did not wish to expose the poor people after
the loss they had sustained; it was too late for a beat, therefore I
determined to take the two elephants and make a simple reconnaissance,
that might be of use upon the following day.
It was 4.30 P.M. by the time we started, as the two elephants had taken
some time to prepare. The native was tolerably correct in his estimate
of distance, and after passing through a long succession of glades and
wooded hills, broken by deep nullahs, we arrived at the place, where
soaring vultures marked the spot, and the remains of a fine white cow
were discovered, that had been killed upon the open ground and dragged
into the dense jungle. Leaving Demoiselle in the open, and taking Berry
into my howdah upon Moolah Bux, we carefully searched the jungle until
sunset, but finding nothing, we were obliged to return to camp, having
made ourselves thoroughly acquainted with the conditions of the
locality. On the following morning at daylight I took only twenty men,
who had recovered from their panic, and with the two elephants and a
very plucky policeman we made our way to the place where the body of the
cow was lying on the previous evening. It was gone. Leaving all the men
outside the jungle, we followed on Moolah Bux, tracking along the course
where the tiger had dragged the carcase, and keeping a sharp look-out in
all directions. After a course of about 150 yards we arrived at a spot
where the tiger had evidently rested: here it had devoured the larger
portion, and nothing but the head remained. It was impossible to decide
whether jackals or hyenas had made away with the remnants, or whether
the tiger had carried them off to some secure hiding-place, but it was
highly probable that the animal was not far distant.
The jungle was not more than 5 or 6 acres, and it was surrounded by
grass; we therefore determined to arrange scouts around, while we should
thoroughly but slowly examine the covert upon the two elephants.
There was nothing in the drive.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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