DRIVING A TIGER OUT OF A JUNGLE. Gl
to sneak away, the whole of tlie cover becomes itro.igly impregnated wilh liis
rank smell; IUKI the Repliants, uncertain liow dislanl he may l)e, evince tlie
most decided apprehension of a ciaudesline attack, and often hecomc perfectly
ungovcrnalilc ; some cannot be restrained from tligiit. Tlieir truid<s, as is usual
wiiii them whenever in a state of alarm, are thrown up into the air, and every
,,aec seems to imply distrust: their eyes display tlic utmost vivacity, and serve
as a faithful index to their inward sensations. Such is the case will, at least
nineteen in twenty; the few that may he e.Kceptcd from si,el, a gcner;d r,.le a,-e
l,i».|,ly valnahle ; and, if of adequate stature, and free from blem,sh, never fa,l to
bring good prices whenever oilcred for sale.
The stature of an elephant is of considerable moment in tiger-hunting; both
bccanse a small one cannot ,nake its way so well through the covers as a lai-gc
one and that the latter raises the rider to a good height, so as to give a moi'c
commanding view of the chase : besides, it has happened, that pc-sons mounted
on sm,.ll elephants have l,ad their legs at ti,nes in jeopardy; being, ,n lhe,r
d a n - l i n - state, suDiciently low to be reached, without much esertton, by a
u,odera'te sized tige,-. 1 should dwell more parlicuhu-ly on the poweis, and
inclinations of tigers to ascend to the backs of elephants, hut that the e.ghteeoti,
Number is reserved for the full display of that propensity, and to record an ,neident
which happened, about twenty four years ago, at the Daudpore elephant
station Suffice it for the present to observe, that, owing to the many attempts
I have known made by tigers to sp.'ing, or climb up, i,i every direction, I
should ever make it a rule to select the largest male elephant oflcred to my
choice, taking care not to accept one of a timid disposition, which, perhaps
inrnin- round short as soon as he might see or smell the game, and rnnnmg at
his fullest speed over b,-oken gi-ound, might prove more dangerous than hunting
on the snuillest elephant in the Held.
As a careful horseman never mounts his steed without e.^samining his bridle,
reins "&e. so should a person pi-occcding to hunt tigers, pay due attention to
the pads &c, of the elephant that is to bear him. This precant,on w,ll, at the
least save ,n„eh inconvcnienee and delay, ami may at times prove of conse-
,,,'ien'ee It certainly is very unpleasant to ride an animal with tlic se.at perpetuallv
shiftiu", and leaning to one side. I,, a k o M , the ineoiivemcnee is yet
more'distrcssi,.«; and, if neglected for any distance, rapidly increases into danger.
The weight of the machine, and the elevation of its contents, cansc snch a
relaxatioi! of the ropes by which the howdah is fastened to the hack of the
elephant, as to producc a very dis.agreeable swinging; which, if not rectified i,i
tinie ,nay allow the whole to be upset by the least want of balance, or by the
clepi,ant's „,aking a false step. It may gene,ally be taken as a rule, that, unless
in eases of necessity, an clepiiant should not be worked within an hour after
being fed ; a neglect of this precaution will be found to injure its health, and
the ropes will to a certainty gradually become loose, and p,'oduce the unpleasant
defcct above described ; compelling the parties to tpnt their seats,
while the cords are braced up afresh ; a process not very ag,-ceable in a hot
climate, and unwillingly submitted lo by some elephants ; w hich, being perhaps
of a morose, sulky disposition, op[)ose their mohoitis on every occasion.
Where biuiils, which are jangles composed of underwood, perhaps mixed
with grass, and having some large trees intei-sperscd, become the sccne of action,
it is so,neti,ncs by no means easy to dislodge the ga„,e ; which sneaks about ill
a luillion of little covered openings, quite eoneealed, and inaccessible to such
as are mounted on elephants. In this species of hunting footmc, ca,i„ot, without
extreme da,,ger, be cnployed. l,i such situations nets are olten used ;
tliongh it is extremely dillicult to drive a tiger into a toil, and not less dangerous
to approach him when in one, unless he be so co,nj)letely enveloped as to
deprive hin, of all power to resist. I'iven when he may appear to be entangled
beyond the possibility of self-extriealion, it is not |)rudent lo venture too close ;
for the nets arc generally somewhat decayed, and have at times been known to
give w.ay.
In a grass jangle a net may i)e eoneealed, but in a bmd it is dillicult to find
a right line, for a sullicient dislanee, open enough to answer the purpose,
without having i,i parts such broad vaeancics, as to allow the net to be seen at
the distance of two or three yards. The tiger will never of hi,„self e,iter the
toil ; b,il on seeing it will, in all probability, either crouch, or steal back, and
take so,l)e incautious hunter by surprise. Whenever this retrograde u,ove,ne„l
occurs, the whole parly must witlubaw from the jungle, and co,n„,ence their
labours a,iew ; and that too without loss of ti„,e, so as to prevent the tiger
fron, going so far back, as to augment bolh tlic trouble, and ihc uncertainly,
of agai,i impelling hin, towards the nets.
The line of elephants ,nnst be for,ned anew, and double exertion must be
used ; for the tiger, Inaving oiicc seen the net, will not readily proceed towards
it a second time. The chorus of discordant aeelaination must inerea.se as the
line appi o.iches to the critical period of coercion ; when every possible means
must he collected to force the tiger forward. However dillicult this point may
be lo effect, it is nevertheless practicable; though perhaps nearly the whole
day may be spent in repeated disappointments. Hogs anil deer arc frequently
taken on such occasions; but wolves, jackals, and bears are at least as cautious
as tigers; the former generally leap over; and the latter exhibit an obstinate
determination, not to approach what instinct teaehcs them to mistrust.
Sometimes the whole reliance must be placed on fire-works ; at which tigers,
and indeed ani,nals of every description, are gi-eatly alarmed. The flower-pot,
and the Imrtaul-iailzxe, so called fn.m its being made chicfly of orpiment, are
among the most powerful: the former causing a most brilliant and extensive
display, and ihe latter, by its hissing and incessant explosions, similar to a
volcano, producing great consternation. A s,Tiall kind of /'/laiai, or rockct, i:^
also used; these being di,'ectcd so .as lo fall between the tiger anil the line of
Oi
huulers, ordinarily, by their zig-zag inotioo, provi of iimnediatc eilecl