7S T H E D E A D TIGER.
„ r llK- n„r l v wlu. W f oe nmnsins llicmsclvM wllli shooting from elephants, there
| , c i n f ; ahinijanee of I,lack partridges, ol.eyed our sunnnons ; and we l.ad the
p l e a s u r e of seeing llie ohject of our [error changed into an iuuoceul burthen for
one of ihe elephanls.
I never yel heard of a tiger infesting a eountry, nor indeed of one l>cing
k i l l e d hul what he was •• the largest ever seen HT However, in spite of sueh
f r o i u e n c y of u.oustrous growth, 1 will venlure to assert, that nine in ten do
nol measure len feel, from the ll], of the nose to the lip of tall. I lull sensd>le,
l i n t when in a slate of provoealion, ihey swell ihcniselves greally ; for which
t h é brislling up of Iheir furs would account sudicienlly. .Many persons, however
lhink°lhey possess the power of inlhillng their skins, in the monienl ol
a l l a c k ; and 1 am rallier dlsposcil, from m y observations hotli in respect to llgers
ami Iheir cpllome, the cal, and indeed other animals, to join in such a belief.
Tho.sc w h o have nol seen the dWcrence, wouhl hardly bel ieve the change which
l a k e s place, alulosl Instanlaneously, after the tigers last g.asp ! His alarming
a i . p c a r a n e e in some measure remains ; the grim savage look being unchanged ;
b u l Ihe sides fall In, ami wonid lead lo the supposition of the animal having
ilicd a natural dealh. I have known one or two cseeplions from tills ; but then
i h e tigers were remarkably fat, and had fallen with llltle opposition lo the
h u n i e r s .
W h c l h c r ll be, lhat. we are conscious in regard to a llger's dlsposilion; or,
i h a l , there be somelhliig e.vprcssivc of ll inseparabl e from his f igure and appearance'
in <veneral. 1 know not ; hul, even when dead, men as well as animals
ivel much affected in their presence: a eerlain creeping, shuddering sensation
p e r v a d e s all. Dogs take a tour on .seeing the carcase, and horses shew the
most fixed alillpalhv ! The ell'orts of the syces lo liring their steeds lo ihe spot
w h e r e a liger lays'dead, generally avail nolhlng; hut, for the most part, by
a g i l a l l n g their minds, cause them lo rear and kick. In that high style for which
l i e hories of Hindostán arc famous. The syce generally conlenls himself wllh
k e e p i n g hold of the bhaugUure. or hal lcr; observing, however, rather to let go
a l l o g e t h e r than to run the least riscpio of .self-injary, whatever accident may
t h e n c e occur to others.
l l is nol less eurious, lhat an elephant keeps his Irunk as .scrupulously from
t o o close an approach lo a dead tiger, as be docs from a living one. There is a
c e r t a i n instinct about this seml-rallonal animal, ibat seems lo pervade every act
o f lis life, ami causes ll lo scciire a member on which its whol e dépendance for
s i i s l e n a n c e is rested. Nor can we but admire ibc wondrous use lo which it
a p p l i e s it, w h e n no danger as lo its safel y is 10 b e a p p r e h e n d e d . In llescribing ihe
m e t h o d of ext r icat ing an elephant from a slough, lis importanee is exhibited ;
w i t h o u t sueh means. Indeed, all the powers wllhiii the scope of human exerllon,
in many situations, would be of no avail I To a blind elephant, exclusive of
t h e clrcumslances a t tendant on llie suppl y of food, the Irunk becomes Invaluable.
I t is a eurious but -well known facl, that sueh as are unhappily deprived of
s i g h t can proceed at a good pace over Yery unequal ground, avoiding lumps and
l i o l l o w s , stepping over ditches, and appearing to far less disadvanlage than, we
s h o i i h l be apl lo think, must attend so serious a privation. They Ycry rarely
t o u c h the ground wllh ihe trunk ; hul projeellng it forwanl as far as it can be
e x t e n d e d , ihey let the tip, which is a little curled Imvards, so as lo prevent
s l r a w s , &e. from running into the nostrils, as it were skim along ihc surface ;
a n d ihns regulat e their steps b y an exijulslto sense, vvllli which that organ must
i n d i s p u t a b l y he endued !
T h e innumerable small s t reams lhat water Bengal , forming in the rainy season
d e e p and ra|jid coiiraes, but becoming at other limes inslgiiificanl, render It
n e c e s s a r y , dur ing the hot wealher , w h e n jierhaps only a m u d d y stagnat e pud,lie
is left, to throw over many small temporary bridges, or causeways ; generally
e o n s t r u e l e d of brush wood'and grass brought from Ihe neighbouring jungles.
T h e s e not being very firmly compacted, ihongh covered perhaps near a foot deep
w l ib earlb, vibrate very sensibly, even w h e n Irod by fool passenger s ; and ofleu
feel as if utterly unccpial to sustain a man and horse. Many sueh bridges
may be found iluring a morning' s march ; they must be crossed ; eVMI ihough
t h e r e be hul llltle water, and lhat the banks presenl no diirienlty. To altem|il
r i d i n g llirough, or lo cross an elephant even unladen, woul d be hazardous in the
e x t r e m e ; the generalily of these small rlvnlels, especially sueh are wi thi n reaelt
o f the lides, having such very loose muddy beds, as would swamp the largest
a n i m a l .
T h e elephant possesses a nice diserimlnation; and, p revious lo ventur ing himself
on a brl.lge of such a eonslrucllon, invariabl y feels wl l h bis t runk. If he be
s a t i s f i e d , from the first trial, of ihc sulliclency of the' structure, he will proceed
t o cross on it, wl l h a slow, caut ious pace ; obviously sensible of bis own weight,
an<l wa l ebfnl as to the effect of every step. If, by ebance, be should teel cause
f o r alarm, he either rceedes wl l h preelpllallon, in spite ol every opposilion, or
w h e e l i n g suddenl y round, abrupl l y flies ihe . langer ; wilhoiil any detercnce for
w d i a t e v e r may chance to he in his way back to term-fmn« t We cannot but
a d m i r e ibis principl e of self-preservation in an animal whleli, in p a s s ing ibrougb
t h e streets, is ofleu seen to remove children wllh its trunk, lhat, being m its
w a y , would, but for such tender care, be subjected to injury from its footsteps .
T h e elephant is not , however, frightened by the ylhrallon of the bridges, and
c a u s e w a y s , above described. He may be seen to p.ass, w l l h siillleienl eonhdence,
o v e r many that tremble extremely under his pressure. He nicely tliscri in ma t e s
b e t w e e n the elasticlly of slrenglli, ami the lotlerlng of weakness. Nay, he will
o f t e n discover Insufficlcney when- heavy carriages may have passed in salety ;
a n d , notwithstanding all the means resorted lo b y his m.palient, and perhaps
l o o confident mohout, will persist in Ills objeellons lo cross, uiilil, by some
a d d i t i o n a l supports, his fears of being injured may he completely removed .
I t is the same ou arrival at llie temporary piers conslnicted at the crossi
n g s of great rivers; a, also when urged lo enter a plalformed boat, for the
T H E D E AD TIGER. 79
t h e purpose of being conveyed across. If the boat he not sufficiently large to
h e a r the pressure of the elepbanl' s llrsl steps, withoiil inclining too much, and
c a u s i n g apprebcnslon in the aniniars mind, it proves sometimes absolutely imp
o s s i b l e lo g e t bliu on board. On such oecasions, if ibere be other elephants at
h a n d , one shoul d be embarked before h im ; wben, p robably, the obsliiiale gentleman
may follow. If, however, he shoidd still |iersisl, in spile of the fireworks,
camels, &c. urging him forward, recourse must be had lo lloatlng him over
b e t w e e n two large hoals; or bp may, eventually, he induced to swim over in
c o m p a n y wi t h other elephants.
I n Ihe preceding Plates I have given the position of howdahs variously; so
a s t o enable the reader lo form a complete idea in respect to their shape, &e.
I n the Plale annexed to this Number , the form of lhat kind shaped like a
p h a e l o n or glg-hody is conspicuously exhibited. The position of the elephant
w h i c h is kneeling, with its leelh goring the tiger, eamiot fail lo ,allbrd satisf
a c t o r y inlclligonce on lhat head. The trappings have been varied according lo
t h e most eommon patterns and contrasts ; while, on the whole, there will be
f o u n d in each Plale somewhat either novel, or, in some measure, dlHerenl from
w h a t may have been formerly represented. In this Plale I have inlrodaced au
o r n a m e n t called the sarpaish, which is rarel y used b y Europeans, but among the
n a t i v e s is considered as an Indispensable part of the paraphernaba. This is a
l i i nd of skull-cap made of the same stuff as the other mount ings , and, invariably,
of the same colours as ibe jolah and punkey ; the former of which covers the
e l e p h a n t in general, while the latter, which is suspended from rings fastened to
i h e lower edge of the body of the howdah, serves, by its position, to conceal
t h e ropes and beams that fasten the maehlne to the pad.
T h e native princes, and sometimes their vaf/iteels or ambassadors, as well as
t h e i r great oflieers, have a number of sumpler elephants, vvhlcll convey refrejihn
i e n t s , and allend the chief closely throilghoiil his j o u r n e y . Sometimes men of
r a n k imitate the sovereign, by Iraving very large kettle drums, called ndgarahs,
s l u n g across elephants or camels ; these are beaten the whole lengtli of llie
j o n r n e y . I know Holhing more tiresome than the perpetual jingling of large
b e l l s , suspended from the pads of elephants jireeeding the great man, two or
t h r e e hundred yards from each olhcr, to announce his approach. The motion
of the elephants occasions the bells to strike at every step. This may be music
in the esllmalion of the natives, who have no idea of our perfection In that
scieuee. A whimsical story is related of the late N a b o b Asopli ul Oowlal i , wjio,
h a v i n g been invited lo a g rand concert, on being asked bow he liked the music,
a f t e r the needful approbal lonar y ic«« lyiiw ! observed, that ll was all very line,
b u t that be was in particuhar delighted with the llrsl p a r i ; alluding to that
a h o m l n a h l e jargon, which ever attends the tuning of instruments: " a custom"
w h i c h the great Handel thought '' more honoured in the breach than in the obs
e r v a n c e , " and accordingly so regulated the bands over which he presided, lhat,
all entered the orcheslra coniplelely in tune, and thus annihilated thai part of
t h e per formance which so cxquisilely gralllied his Highne s s the N abo b of O u d e I