T H E T I G E R A T BAY. 69
iL is noL only common Lo fin<l more than one liger in Uie same cover, l)nt even
Iwo have sometimes been started at the same moment. 1 recollect, indeed, an
instance where only one was thought lo be pursued, till, by a variety of surprises
and much confusion, two were discovered and killed; while it was susp
e c t e d that a third had made its escape. Dogs which follow the mohouts, or
t h a t come as volunteers from the villages, though in some instances of signal
service, yet in grass create a deal of anxiety, being sometimes iriislakcn for the
liger. Many a \wovpariah has snfTerc-d l)y liis zeal lo joi n in the chase ! Such
as have not been accustomed lo the sport sometimes fall victims, or, at least,
get dreadful scratches, in consequence of their rashness in attacking tigers and
hogs wirtliout Iiesitiition. Few that have thus suirered retain much inclination
to joi n parlies ; though now and then, pariahs may be seen bearing a number
of scars, obviously the result of various contests, and of such «xtent and appearance,
as to indicate that the wounds must have been extremely s
Among so many sportsmen, and where there are so many modes for choicc.
it is to be supposed that various opinions will exist, regarding the merits of
each sort of conveyance. For njy own part, T prefer that kind of howdah
w h i c h resembles the body of a phaeton; as being far the lightest, the most
a g r e e a b l e for travelling, and the most connnodious for every occasion. Many
a r e partial to the bare pad for tigcr-hunling; a circumstance which excites surprise,
as llie position is constrained, and no conveniency offers for tiie deposit of
ammunition, or for the conveyance of spare arms. "With regard to trappings,
t h e r e can be but one opinion : they are, at all times, useless ; they are an inc
u m b r a n c e ; they boat the elephant ; they catch hold of every busli; and they
allbrd to the liger some nieans, though not very eflectual, for ascending. Yet,
s t r a n g e lo say, ihcse objections, Avhich are certainly not vague, do not suffice to
d e t e r a large portion of hunters from proceeding to the hnnt, with their
e l e p h a n t s fully caparisoned! I have, indeed, some reason to think, from Avhat
I have observed and heard, that manyan elephant has, during a tiger hunt,
had his alarms prolonged by ihe appearance of his own trappings; wliich
d u r i n g his flight, have been much agitated, and, by their rustling and motions
a d d e d to bis fears.
Such elepliants as may once have taken fright, and run olT, should ever aflcr
be distrusted. They are so extremely timid, and their fears are so very great
when once excited, that it requires a long time lo reconcile them to the object
of their apprehensions. Some never can be brought lo endure even the smell
of a tiger, having once taken fright, and become so strongly averse lo the sport,
t h a t , after being, perhaps wit h great <liiliculty, brought into the line, the least
motion of the cover, or the sudden appearance even of a jackal , or a hare, sets
t h em olí; rendering them most completely frantic. A thousand instances might
b e adduced to conhrm this assertion, were it necessary to lay any stress on so
well known a part of the elephant's character. However, as the young sportsman
may derive some information from the occurrence, I shall cjiiote one event,
w h i c h hapj)ened to two gentlemen of the Bengal army stationed, in 1795, at
Annopshier, in ihe dominions of the Nabob Vizier of Oude. They had been in
the habit of killing tigers in that pari, wilh only one elephiiul, on which being
mounted, they one day roused a liger of a very fierce disposition The animal,
a f t e r doing some uiischicf among the dogs, which jjaited iiiui very courageouîsly.
a t length darted at the elephant's head ; and though foiled in "the attempt to
get upon it, nevertheless, scratched her trunk severely. Notwilhslandiiig I have
already, in several places, described the custom of eleplianls lo throw up iheir
t r u n k s , yet it may be proper in this place lo add, that it is the most tender
p a r t about the animal; accordingly, we invariably find thai any altiick wliioli
menaces its safely, is sure to occasion the elc[)hant to recede. No sooner did
t h a t , on which the gentlemen in ((uestion were mounted, feel (he tigers claw.s
p e n e t r a t i n g her proboscis, than she turned round, and set oil" at I'ull speed,
r o a r i n g most vehemently! She seemed to have lust her senses, and to be b.'nt
on mischief; for wherever she saw a living object she pursued ¡1, totally heedless
of the 7nohoul's endeavours If) guide or restrain her. After dashing through
some mango topes, or ¡)lantations, to the iunninent danger of the mokout au<l of
t h e gentlemen in the howdah, and after chasing a number of |)easant.s, ¿cc.
whose lives were saved by presence of miutl in the mohnut, who, besides callingl
u s t i ly to such as appeared in danger, threw a ])art of his own dress over the
e l e p h a n t ' s eyes, she at length proceeded into a village, where one of the gentlemen
took the opportunity of leaj)ing out upon a thatcli ; tlie olher, with that
coolness which ever dislinguished him in limes of danger, retainetl his seal;
a n d when the elephant was, by fatigue and nuinagemenl, brought into a
governable state, quietly descended as though nothing had happened.
H e r e we see an instance where an elephant was ruined, at least rendered
t o t a l l y unfit for tigcr-liunting, by one attack ; and, at the same time, we collect
h ow extremely dangerous they become, when in a state of panic. On the above
occasion, luckily, the ground over which ihe elephant took her course, was
good ; being for the most part cullivated lands. Such however i.s not always to
b e expected ; for a t least three fourlhs of the lands in sporting situations arc ext
r e m e l y rough, and in many parts intersected with deep ravines, or ampl y stored
w i t h buffalo holes. These are made by the builaloes, cither wild or tame, which
in the hot season, when water becomes very scarce, avail themselves of any
p u d d l e they may iind among the covers, wherein they roll and rub themselves;
so as in a short lime to change what was at first a shallow flat, inio a deep pit,
snilicient lo conceal their own bulk. The humidity of the soil, even when the
waler may have been evaporated, is particularly gratifying lo ihcse animals,
which cannot bear heal, and which if not indulged in a free access to the water,
never thrive. A particular account of this ferocious beast will be found in tlie
T w e n t y - f o u r l h and Twcnty-iiflh Numbers.
Having mentioned the extreme tenderness of the elephant' s trunk. 1 will so far
digress as lo offer an anecdote reg-arding its utility, and exhibit how completely
helpless the noble animal becomes when bereft of its powers. I recollect, when
about to purchase an elephant for the purpose of conveying my baggage from
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