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charge by a herd. This was an extraordinary occurrence, and fortunately stands alone in buffalo-shooting. Were it not for the two heavy rifles, our career might have terminated in an unpleasant manner. As I before mentioned, this part of the country was seldom or ever

disturbed at the time of which I write, and the buffaloes were immensely numerous and particularly savage, nearly always turning to bay, and showing good sport when attacked. Having cut out the tongues from the two bulls, we turned home to breakfast.'

CHAPTER VII.

BETWEEN A TIGER'S JAWS - -A NARROW ESCAPE A FINE SPECIMEN OF COURAGE-SHOOTING THE TIGER AT NIGHT.

It is well known that most parts of India are still grievously infested with wild beasts. In all situations except those most inhabited, the lion or the tiger, or the buffalo, render a passage through the jungles in an extreme degree dangerous. It is essential, therefore, to the safety of the inhabitants that these powerful enemies should be kept in subjection; and this desirable object is effected by enterprising and intrepid persons, at the hazard of their own personal safety. In pursuit of the formidable tiger, the elephant is a most useful assistant, and in this work displays the greatest sagacity and courage. Such is its care of its rider, that in passing through the jungles, whenever a branch hangs in the way of the howdah, although the elephant itself could easily pass in security under it, yet, knowing it would injure or incommode its master, the considerate animal seizes it with its trunk

and rends it off, that no inconvenience may be sustained by his rider. So, also, it is most useful in giving notice of a tiger being near; for, whenever an elephant scents a tiger, which it can do at some distance, it utters a shrill cry. But it is in the attack that it chiefly displays its powers of usefulness; for then it raises its trunk perpendicularly, so that, when the tiger charges, it may be prepared to repel the attack, as also to prevent a surprise; since, if the tiger can but seize the trunk, the elephant is disarmed. The leaps or springs which the tiger makes in his charge are truly astonishing; yet a well-trained elephant will generally succeed in repelling the most furious attack, by dashing the springing tiger to the earth with its trunk, when, if its foe be at all stunned or maimed by the fall, or wounded. by the rifle of the rider, the ponderous foot of the mighty beast will actually crush the

fallen victim, and at once complete its destruction. But it sometimes does happen that an elephant turns away from the contest; and when this is the case, the life of the rider is in the greatest jeopardy; for the tiger can easily climb up on the elephant in the rear, and seize the person in the howdah before he can turn to defend himself. The following adventure is an instance of such a seizure:

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A party of Europeans, consisting of some indigo planters, and of some officers of a native regiment stationed in their neighbourhood, went into the jungles for the purpose of shooting tigers. They had not proceeded far before they roused an immense tigress, which, with the greatest intrepidity, charged the line of elephants on which they were seated. At this moment, a female elephant, in the direct point of attack, which had been lately purchased, and was hitherto untried, through dread of the approaching enemy, turned suddenly round to fly from the field of battle. It was in vain the mahout exerted all his skill to make her face the tigress. The active creature, therefore, instantly sprang upon her back, and seizing the person in the howdah by the thigh, speedily brought him to the ground; then throwing him, quite stunned by the fall, over her shoulders, just in the same manner as a fox carries a goose, she started off to the jungle. Every rifle was pointed at her;

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but no one dared to fire, because of the position in which the captive lay on the tigress' back. She went through the jungle grass much faster than the elephants could, so that the party soon lost sight of their prey; yet they were enabled to trace her by the blood in her track; and, as a forlorn hope, they resolved to follow on, to see if it were possible to save the remains of their friend from being devoured by the ferocious brute. As they proceeded, the traces grew fainter and fainter, until at length, bewildered in the heart of the jungle, they were about to give up the search in despair, when all at once they came most unexpectedly upon the object of their pursuit. To their infinite astonishment, they beheld the tigress lying dead in the long jungle grass, still griping fast the limb of their unfortunate companion in her tremendous jaws; whilst he, though still sensible, was unable from loss of blood to reply to the questions put to him. To extricate his leg from the creature's mouth they found impossible, without first cutting off her head. This therefore was immediately done, and the jaws being separated, the fangs were drawn out of the wounds; and as one of the party providentially happened to be a surgeon, the patient was properly attended to, and the party had the great felicity of returning with their friend, rescued from the most perilous situation, and with hopes of his

fainted away, and remained totally unconscious of what was passing for some minutes. However, recovering a little, he determined to try the effect of another shot, in a different place. Drawing the remaining pistol from his girdle, and pointing the muzzle under the bladebone of the shoulder, in the direction of the heart, he once more fired: the tigress fell dead in a moment, and neither howled nor struggled after she fell.

recovery. He was taken to the nearest bungalow, and by the aid thus afforded, he was in a short time able to see his friends, when he explained to them the means by which he was preserved. For some time after the animal had seized him, it appeared that he had continued insensible, being stunned by the fall, faint from the loss of blood, as well as from the excruciating pain which her fangs inflicted. When he came to himself, he discovered that he was lying on the back of the tigress, who was trotting along at a smart pace through the jungle, whilst at times his hands and face received the most violent scratches from the thorns and bushes through which she dragged him. He gave himself up as lost, considering that not the least glimpse of hope remained, and consequently determined to lie quietly on her back waiting the issue-when it struck him that he had a pair of pistols in his girdle, with which he might yet destroy his captor. After several attempts, which, from the weakness which the loss of blood had occasioned, proved ineffectual, he at length succeeded in drawing one of them from 'One morning, in company the belt, and directed it at the with two brother officers, Morticreature's head. He fired; but mer of the 40th, and Reeves of the only effect it seemed to pro- the 3d Light Cavalry, having duce was, that after giving him been informed by our shicaries an angry shake, by which she that they had tracked a tiger, we made her fangs meet more determined to go to the Ghud closely in his flesh, her pace Nullah-where it was said to was quickened. From the ago-be-in search of it. Before nizing pain thus caused, he again setting out, we were joined by

But he was not yet out of danger. He had not the power to call out for aid, and consequently, though he heard his friends approaching, he feared lest they might pass the spot without observing where he lay. Happily, however, it proved otherwise, and thus his life was saved. Under medical care, he recovered from his wounds; and though, from his thigh being so dreadfully torn by the fangs of the tigress, he afterwards suffered from lameness, yet he had abundant reason to be thankful for being thus providentially preserved.

A NARROW ESCAPE.

Ravenscroft and Forbes, armed only with spears, as they expected to kill swine. We soon reached the Nullah, the banks of which, high and steep, intersected by smaller branches, were covered with grass and brushwood; to this we applied fire where the track entered, and then took our stations on foot; Mortimer on the right bank nearest the fire, Reeves on the left bank, myself also on the left, with a broad deep branch and two or three gullies between us.

There was not much wind, and the grass being green, the fire did not come down rapidly. After waiting some time, a shot, answered by a loud roar, announced the presence of our prey. This was from Mortimer. As she passed Reeves, she got the contents of two barrels, and came on roaring furiously, evidently hard hit, and turned into the deep branch between Reeves and me. My station commanded the entrance to this, between thirty and forty yards distant; and as she came out after a short time, and for a moment stood still, I let fly right and left, and back she went. I loaded as quickly as possible. On receiving another shot, she came towards my position, and as she passed under me, I fired the other barrel into her. then supposed she would get into a deep little gully immediately on my right, so I went to the rear, mounted my horse, and drew near all ready. Low growls or rather moans were all

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that was now to be heard, and after some time all was silent. Ravenscroft shot into some brushwood near where I had last seen her, but there was no growl of defiance in answer, and he narrowly escaped a serious accident. He had fired | from off his horse, and in reload-. ing, cast the butt of his gun over on his left foot; he was on the point of putting in the powder, when the other barrel went off, two balls passing his face without injury.

'We now tried to light the grass above and below where she was supposed to be, but it would not burn well; there were some dry thorns near the top of the gully, which cracked famously, and this was not more than twenty yards long. Still nothing was heard or seen of the enemy, and we all began to be impatient, and of the opinion that she was dead. Seeing a native with a drawn sword going towards this gully, I got off my horse and accompanied him, wishing to look into it if possible, and expecting to see her dead at the bottom. It was some twelve or fifteen feet deep, and the banks, nearly perpendicular, had long grass and brushwood growing thickly up them. By bending this on either side with the muzzle of my gun, I was enabled to see into it tolerably well, and was on the point of giving it up, when my eye caught sight of a patch of her yellow hide. It was no use firing, as I not tell whether it was

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her head or her tail; but before I could make out a mortal spot to aim at, she was up and scaling the bank, roaring furiously. The native made off as fast as his legs would permit him. As she pushed on, I fired into her. But still on she came; and as she gained the top, I aimed at her breast. You may conceive my feelings when she dashed my gun aside with her paw as I pulled the trigger; the contents flew harmless. She seized my Joe Manton-which fortunately is not injured, though it will always bear her mark-just above the locks. I now turned to run for it; and then Reeves proved himself to be the friend in need: he was standing on the opposite bank of the deep branch before mentioned, full thirty yards from me: ere I had gained five paces, she sprang upon me. Until I had turned, my body was between Reeves and her; and in the short space thus allowed him, he fired both barrels, both taking effect. One striking her in the spine, caused instant death. I, of course, was underneath her; she was very heavy; and as I struggled, it came across me to lie still; but finding I rather freed myself, I worked on and gained my legs, just as Ravenscroft came running to my rescue, who, by way of a settler, put a ball into her head. And there she lay, a fine four year old tigress, with my hunting-cap in her mouth. Only one of her teeth reached my head, and that but very slightly at

the back; in fact, I may say that I escaped unhurt, having only one rather deep claw on my left fore-arm, and merely the skin raised by her claws on the back of my left shoulder.'

A FINE SPECIMEN OF COURAGE.

At Agoada, near Goa, in the month of March 1809, early one morning, a report was received at the cantonments, that a large tiger had been seen on the rocks near the sea. About nine o'clock, a number of officers and men assembled at the spot where it was said to have been seen; when, after some search, the animal was discovered to be in the recess of an immense rock. Dogs were sent in, in the hopes of starting him, but without effect, they having returned with several wounds. Lieutenant Evan Davis, of the 7th regiment, attempted to enter the den, but was obliged to return, finding the passage extremely narrow and dark. He, however, attempted it a second time with a pickaxe in his hand, with which he removed some obstructions that were in the way; and having proceeded a few yards, he heard a noise, which he conceived to be that of the animal in question. He then returned, and communicated this to Lieutenant Threw, of the artillery, who also went in the same distance, and was of a similar opinion. What course to pursue was doubtful ; some proposed to blow up the

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