Kim
P L A T E XVII.
THE TIGER AT BAY.
FUOM wJial lias already been slated, regarding the noise necessarily attendant
ii[)oi) a tiger-lninl, the reader AVIII not be surprised to learn lhat occasionally,
soiiielillle misunderstanding mid confusion lake place. Even among such as
are well accustonicd to the sporl, there will, at times, arise incidents produclive
of irrcgularily; and \vhere a party is collected by accident from various
quarters, composed cliielly of novices, such will in all probability be the case.
Bnl where a number of veterans are met, all of whom have frcipiently shared in
the death of many tigers, ihe business is, with little exception, conducted as regularly,
and as systenialically, as a hog-hunl. It is diverting enough to witness
the uproar and consternation caused among the numerous tribe of attendants,
leading hoi'ses, dogs, &c. or carrying refreshment and lunbrellas, when a tiger
bends his course towards the fpiarter Avhere they may have collected and taken
post, both to be in readiness, and to have a view of the chase. I cannot say I
every saw any accident happen on such occasions, except among gras.ses mi.Ked
with underwood, and th en il was entirely owing to the imprudence of the
parlies ihemselves ; who, probably wilhout means of defence, and |>rompted by
curiosily, or urged by the disposition to ap])ear very bold and enterprising,
could not be restrained I'rom participating of the danger.
The chase is most pleasing, and least perilous, on plains of grass moderately
lliick, and nol more lhan four feet in heighl, in which ihe tiger's track may ])e
sulVu-ienlly ascertained ; and in such copses and underwoods as lay under high
banks; thai is to say, in those broad ravines where the animal maybe seen distinctly
by such as are on the heights, though concealed, in a great measure,
from such as are on a level with himself, the s])ort is peculiarly interesting.
In both, the tiger's fate may be considered as decided as soon as he is roused,
But in very heavy Lall grass, or in thick bunds, or opake covers, and especially
where intersected by sharp ravines in which the elephants cannol proceed, the
chasc is verj' arduous and uncertain ; and, indeed, there cannol be too much
precaution used, least the tiger, to the astonishment both of himself and the
hunter, appear abi-uptly, when supposed to have proceeded in some other
direction.
Where the grass is ihin, and many shots have been fired without eflect, it is
common to see the tiger steal forward, at a rate requiring every exertion on the
part of the hunters to keep near him. When hard pressed, he will frequently
canter and trot by turns. But no reliance is to be placed on the anxiety ho
shews to make oil"; for, if a (hick patch of grass, o)- a bush lake his fancy, he
will suddenly slop to avail himself of the ambush, and .spring at \\ halever may
come within his reach. Many, indeed most tigers, when first roused, pause to
view the cause of alarm, and thus allbrd an opportunity to the hunters, already
prepared by the expression of ihe ele])hanls, to give him a round ; and it is
great odds but one of tiie whole party hits him. It has occurrcd that six or
seven balls have taken place, and given a tiger his quietus williout larlher
trouble. Somelimes, though rarely, a single shot has proved suflicicnt. 1 have
heard of tigers receiving upwards of a score of wounds before t.hey fell ; and I
bave seen a skin so perforated as to resemble a perfect sieve. The German
P.ADL used lo boast, and with reason, that he expended less powder and ball
lhan any other person : indeed, his first shot was, in general, the coup de gracc.
He was remarkable for killing such tigers as charged ; on such occasions he
always aimed at the thorax, or chest, and never, within my recollection, had
an elephant injured under him. I before observed, lhat, he used a mus(piet
somewhat shortened in the barrel, and that his charge was much loo powerful
for me. I never discharged his musquet but once; when 1 resolved not to
repeat my folly.
PACL however, was not entirely free from accidents; he once got a scra])c
from a tiger's claw through the loe of his boot, antl al another time was, if
we may use the expression, unborsetl, by his elephant coming suddenly u])on a
tiger when he was in pursuit of a bullalo. lie very honestly confessed lhat all
presence of mind forsook him, an<l thai, when he came lo himself, and saw the
tiger silting on its haunches al the edge of a clump of surput, or la.ssel grass,
about a dozen yards before him, he was near fainting: luckily it.s altcnlion \vas
attracted by the elcphanl, which, witli her trunk and tail erecl, ran scrraming
over tile plain.
il^i f ;
T H E '1'JGJElTAt BAYI
L E T I GHE EW E T A T JD AMiEI.