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
We had not been long in our respective positions when a shot from the
direction taken by the elephant, followed instantly by a short roar,
proved that the tiger had been discovered, and that he was still alive.
My female elephant Demoiselle, upon hearing the sound, trembled beneath
me with intense excitement, while the other female would have bolted had
she not been sharply reminded by the heavy driving-hook. Several shots
were now fired in succession, and after vainly endeavouring to discover
the whereabouts of the tiger, I sent Demoiselle to obtain the news while
we kept guard over the ravine. No tiger having appeared, I stationed
natives in trees to watch the nullah while we ascended the hill on foot,
directing our course through the forest to the place from whence the
shots had been fired. We had hardly advanced 80 yards before we found
both the elephants on the top of the steep shoulder of the hill, where
several of our men were upon the boughs of surrounding trees. Bisgaum
was in a state of wild excitement, and Kerim Bux explained that it was
impossible to shoot from his back, as he could not be kept quiet. Where
was the tiger? That was the question. "Close to us, Sahib!" was the
reply; but on foot we could see nothing, owing to high withered grass
and bush. I clambered upon the back of the refractory Bisgaum,
momentarily expecting him to bolt away like a locomotive engine, and
from that elevated position I was supposed to see the tiger, which was
lying in the bottom of the ravine about 100 yards distant. There were so
many small bushes and tufts of yellow grass that I could not distinguish
the form for some minutes; at length my eyes caught the object. I had
been looking for orange and black stripes, therefore I had not noticed
black and white, the belly being uppermost, as the animal was lying upon
its back, evidently dying.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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