Wild Beasts and Their Ways, Reminiscences of Europe, Asia, Africa and America Part 10

At length, having carefully beaten out the tamarisk, which had now been almost destroyed by the tread of so close a line of elephants, we emerged at the extreme end of the hollow, where, instead of tamarisk, a dense patch of withered reeds much higher than an elephant were mingled in a confused growth, occupying an area of hardly 10 yards square. I felt sure that the tiger must have crouched for concealment in this spot.

Suchi Khan had brought his elephant upon the left, another gun was on the right, and a third in the centre at the extreme end, while I was in the bottom with the line of elephants. Begging the outside guns to be careful, and to reserve their fire until the tiger should bolt into the open, I ordered the elephants to form three parts of a circle, to touch each other shoulder to shoulder, and slowly to advance through the tangled reeds. This was well done, when suddenly the second elephant upon my left fell forward, and for the moment disappeared; the tiger had made a sudden spring, and seizing the elephant by the upper portion of the trunk, had pulled it down upon its knees. The elephant recovered itself, and was quickly brought into the position from which for a few seconds it had departed. The tiger was invisible in the dense yellow herbage.

Very slowly the line pressed forward, almost completing a circle, but just leaving an aperture a few yards in width to permit an escape. The elephant's front was streaming with blood, and the others were intensely excited, although apparently rendered somewhat confident by pressing against each other towards the concealed enemy.

Presently a mahout about two yards upon my right beckoned to me, and pointed downward with his driving-hook. I immediately backed my elephant out of the crowd, and took up a position alongside his animal. He pointed at some object which I could not distinguish in the tangled mixture of reeds, half-burnt herbage, and young green gra.s.s that had grown through; at length something moved, and I at once made out the head and shoulders of a tiger crouching as though ready for a spring. In another moment it would have tried Sutchnimia's nerves by fixing its teeth upon her trunk; but this time she stood well, being encouraged by the supporting elephants, and I placed a .577 bullet between the tiger's shoulders; this settled the morning's sport without further excitement.

The tiger was dragged out. It was a fine male, and we discovered that Suchi Khan's shot had struck it in the belly; the wound, not being fatal, had rendered it more vicious.

It has already been remarked that a really staunch and tractable elephant is rarely met with. This renders tiger-shooting exceedingly uncertain, as it is impossible to shoot correctly with a rifle when an animal is flinging itself about to an extent that renders it necessary to hold fast by the howdah rail. I generally take an ordinary No. 12 gun as an adjunct. If the gra.s.s is very high and dense, the tiger will seldom be farther than 20 yards distant, and a smooth-bore breechloader with a spherical ball will shoot sufficiently well to hit the palm of your hand. This accuracy may be obtained to 30 or 40 yards provided that the bullet is sufficiently large to enter the chamber, but a size too large for the muzzle. It will accordingly squeeze its way through without the slightest windage, and will shoot with great precision, with a charge of 4 1/2 drams of powder and a ball of pure soft lead. A No. 12 is exceedingly powerful, and if 7 lbs. in weight, it can be fired with one hand like a pistol. This is an immense advantage, as the shooter can hold tight by the howdah rail with his left hand, while he uses his gun with the right. I always load the right barrel with ball, and the left with the same charge of powder (4 1/2 drams), but with either 16 S.S.G.

or 1 1/2 ounce of A.A. or B.B. shot. For leopards there is nothing so certain as S.S.G. at 20 or 30 yards; and for hog-deer and other sorts of small game the smaller shot is preferable, but always with the same full charge of powder.

A smooth-bore gun is much easier to use than a rifle from a howdah, as it is unnecessary to squint along the sight, but the shot is taken at once with the rapidity usual in ordinary shooting at flying objects.

Care must be taken, when firing only with one hand, that the wrist should be turned to the left, so that the hammers of the gun are lying over in that direction instead of being erect. In that position the elbow is raised upon the right, and the recoil of the gun will not throw it up towards the shooter's face, which might happen should the gun be held with the hammers uppermost; it is also much easier to hold a gun with one hand in the att.i.tude described. Should a tiger spring upon an elephant, it would be exceedingly difficult to defend the animal unless by shooting with one hand, as the struggles of the elephant would render it impossible to stand.

I had a practical example of this shortly after the departure of Suchi Khan, when I pushed on to Rohumari and met Mr. G. P. Sanderson, April 1, 1885. He had brought with him the entire force of elephants from the Garo Hills, the season for capturing wild elephants having just expired.

Many of his men were suffering from fever, and he himself evidently had the poison of malaria in his system.

A bullock had been tied up the preceding evening within three-quarters of a mile from our camp, and on the morning of April 1 this was reported to have been killed. We accordingly sallied out, and in a few minutes we found the remains, above which the vultures were soaring in large numbers. The high gra.s.s had been partially burnt, and large patches remained at irregular distances where the fire had not penetrated, or where the herbage had been too green to ignite; however, all was as dry as tinder at this season, and having formed the elephants in line, I took up a position with my elephant about 300 yards ahead.

The elephants came on in excellent formation, as Mr. Sanderson was himself with them in command; presently I saw a long tail thrown up from among the yellow gra.s.s, and quickly after I distinguished a leopard moving rapidly along in my direction. For a few minutes I lost sight of it, but I felt sure it had not turned to the right or left, and, as a clump of more than ordinary thick gra.s.s stood before me, I concluded that the animal had probably sought concealment in such impervious covert.

When the elephants at length approached, I begged that half a dozen might just march through the patch within a few yards of my position. I was riding an elephant called Rosamond, which was certainly an improvement upon my former mount.

Hardly had the line entered the patch of gra.s.s when, with a short angry roar, a leopard sprang forward, and pa.s.sed me at full speed within 25 yards; and immediately turned a somersault like a rabbit, with a charge of 16 S.S.G. from the No. 12 fired into its shoulder.

This was very rapidly accomplished, as our camp was within view, certainly not more than a mile distant.

We placed the leopard upon a pad elephant, and sent it home; while we once more extended the line, and as usual I took up a position some hundred yards in advance, in a spot that was tolerably clear from the high gra.s.s.

Almost the same circ.u.mstance was repeated. I saw another leopard advancing before the line, and pus.h.i.+ng my elephant forward to a point that I considered would intercept it, I distinctly saw it enter a tangled ma.s.s of herbage, hardly large enough to shelter a calf; there it disappeared from view.

The line of elephants arrived, and no one was aware that another leopard had been moved. I pointed out the small clump of gra.s.s, and ordered an elephant to walk through it. In an instant a leopard bolted, and immediately rolled over like its comrade; but as I had to wait until it had cleared the line of elephants before I fired, it was about 35 yards distant, and although it fell to the shot, it partially recovered, and limped slowly forward with one broken leg, being terribly wounded in other places. It only went about 40 paces, and then lay down to die. One of the mahouts dismounted from his elephant, and struck it with an axe upon the head. This leopard was immediately despatched to camp, and we proceeded to beat fresh ground, as no tiger had been here, but evidently the two leopards had killed the bullock on the preceding night, and nothing more remained.

Rosamond had stood very steadily, but she was terribly rough to ride, and the howdah swung about like a boat in a choppy sea.

A couple of hours were pa.s.sed in marching through every place that seemed likely to invite a tiger, but we moved nothing except a great number of wild pigs; a few of these I shot for the Garo natives who accompanied us. At length we observed in the distance the waving, green, feathery appearance of tamarisk, and as the sun was intensely hot, we considered that a tiger would a.s.suredly select such cool shade in preference to the glaring yellow of withered gra.s.s. At all times during the hot season a dense bed of young tamarisk is a certain find for a tiger, should such an animal exist in the neighbourhood. The density of the foliage keeps the ground cool, as the sun's rays never penetrate.

The tiger, being a nocturnal animal, dislikes extreme heat, therefore it invariably seeks the densest shade, and is especially fond during the hottest weather of lying upon ground that has previously been wet, and is still slightly damp; it is in such places that the tamarisk grows most luxuriantly.

We were now marching through a long strip of this character which had at one time formed a channel; on either side the tamarisk strip was enormously high, and dense gra.s.s. Suddenly an elephant sounded the kettle-drum note; this was quickly followed by several others, and a rush in the tamarisk frightened the line, as several animals had evidently broken back. We could see nothing but the waving of the bush as the creatures dashed madly past. These were no doubt large pigs, but I felt certain from the general demeanour of the elephants that some more important game was not far distant.

The advance continued slowly and steadily. Presently I saw the tamarisk's feathery tops moving gently about fifteen paces ahead of the line; the elephants again trumpeted and evinced great excitement; this continued at intervals until we at length emerged from the tamarisk upon a flat s.p.a.ce, where the tall gra.s.s had been burnt while yet unripe, and although killed by the fire and rendered transparent, it was a ma.s.s of black and yellow that would match well with a tiger's colour. We now extended the line in more open order, to occupy the entire s.p.a.ce of about 200 yards front; Sanderson kept his position in the centre of the line, while I took my stand in an open s.p.a.ce about 150 yards in advance, where an animal would of necessity cross should it be driven forward by the beat.

The line advanced in good order. The elephants were much disturbed, and they evidently scented danger.

They had not marched more than 50 or 60 yards before a tremendous succession of roars scattered them for a few moments, as a large tiger charged along the line, making splendid bounds, and showing his entire length, as he made demonstrations of attack upon several elephants in quick rotation. It was a magnificent sight to see this grand animal, in the fullest strength and vigour, defy the line of advancing monsters, every one of which quailed before the energy of his attack and the threatening power of his awe-inspiring roars. The sharp cracks of two shots from Sanderson, whose elephant was thus challenged by the tiger, hardly interrupted the stirring scene; but, as the enemy rushed down the line, receiving the fire from Sanderson's howdah, he did not appear to acknowledge the affront, and having effected his purpose of paralysing the advance, he suddenly disappeared from view.

I was in hopes that he would break across the open which I commanded, but there was no sign of movement in the high gra.s.s. The line of elephants again advanced slowly and cautiously; suddenly at a signal they halted, and I observed Sanderson, whose elephant was a few yards in advance of the line, halt, and, standing up, take a deliberate aim in the gra.s.s in front. He fired; a tremendous roar was the response, and the tiger, bounding forward, appeared as though he would a.s.suredly cross my path. Instead of this, after a rush of about 50 or 60 yards I saw the tall gra.s.s only gently moving, as the animal had reduced its pace to the usual stealthy walk. The gra.s.s ceased moving in a spot within 30 paces, and exactly opposite my position. I marked a bush upon which were a few green shoots that had sprouted since the fire had scorched the gra.s.s. I was certain that the tiger had halted exactly beneath that mark. My mahout drove the elephant slowly and carefully forward, and I was standing ready for the expected shot, keeping my eyes well open for an expected charge; Sanderson was closing in upon the same point from his position. Presently, when within a few feet of the green bush, I distinguished a portion of the tiger, but I could not determine whether it was the shoulder or the hind-quarter. Driving the elephant steadily forward, with the rifle to my shoulder, I at length obtained a complete view. The tiger was lying dead!

Sanderson's last shot had hit it exactly behind the shoulder; but the first right and left had missed when the tiger charged down the line, exemplifying the difficulty of shooting accurately with an elephant moving in high excitement.

We now loaded an elephant with this grand beast and started it off to camp, where Lady Baker had already received two leopards. We had done pretty well for the 1st April, but after this last shot our luck for the day was ended.

This day unfortunately deprived me of my companion, as the fever which had been dormant developed itself in Sanderson and completely prostrated him. He had a peculiar objection to quinine, therefore in default of remedies, which were all at hand, he remained a great sufferer during three successive weeks, and I was left alone with the long line of elephants to complete the driving of the innumerable churs below the village of Rohumari. I must pay Mr. Sanderson the well-merited compliment of praising his staff of mahouts, who were, with their well-trained animals, placed at my disposal; these men exhibited the result of such perfect discipline and organization, that, although a perfect stranger to them, I had not the slightest difficulty; on the contrary, they worked with me for twenty days as though I had been their old master for as many years. No better proof could be adduced of the excellent management of Mr. Sanderson's department.

The sport on 1st April had raised my expectations, but I quickly discovered that it was an exceptional day, and that the rule would be disappointing. A little experience introduced me to the various characters of the elephants which composed our pack, and I amused myself by arranging them according to their qualifications, the heavier and slower animals in the centre, and the more active at either end of the line. Each elephant was to retain invariably the same position every day, as the mahouts and their beasts would be more likely to act harmoniously if always a.s.sociated together in the beat. The fast elephants, being at the extreme ends, would be able to turn quickly upon the centre whenever necessary. Four elephants were told off as scouts; these were the most active, with intelligent mahouts. The men appeared to take an intense interest in the sport, and in the regularity of the arrangements, as they were equally aware with myself of the necessity for strict order and discipline, where only one solitary gun represented the offensive capacity of the line.

The ordinary method of tiger-shooting with a long line of elephants comprises five or six guns placed at intervals. I dislike this style of sport, as it engenders wild and inaccurate firing. Every person wishes to secure a chance, therefore no opportunity is lost, and wherever the gra.s.s is seen to move, a bullet is directed at the spot. If only one gun is present, extreme caution and good management are necessary to ensure the death of a tiger, and the result of twenty-five days' shooting on the churs of the Brahmaputra was highly satisfactory, as during that period eight tigers and three leopards _only_ were moved, and every one was bagged; thus nothing whatever escaped.

I always make a point of allowing the Government reward as a bonus, without any deductions for buffalo baits or beaters, and this amount I divide among the s.h.i.+karis and mahouts according to my estimation of their merits; this gives them an additional interest in the proceedings.

We were now thoroughly organised, and, if the tigers had been in the numbers that existed some years ago, we should have made a more than ordinary bag. The difficulty of managing so long a line of elephants with a tiger on foot, and only one gun, was shortly made apparent.

One of our baits had been killed, and the body had been dragged into about twelve acres of wild rose. This bush produces a blossom rather larger than the common dog-rose of English hedges, and equally lovely.

Although it is armed with a certain amount of thorns, it is not to be compared with the British variety as a formidable barrier, but, as it delights in swamp hollows, it grows into the densest foliage, about 18 feet high, and forms an impenetrable screen of tangled and matted vegetation. No human being could force his way through a network of wild rose, therefore it forms a desirable retreat for all wild animals, who can penetrate beneath it, and enjoy the protection of cool shade, and undisturbed seclusion.

In an open gra.s.s country it may be readily imagined that tigers would be certain to resort to such inviting covert, where they would be secure from all intrusion, and to which cavernous density they could drag and conceal their prey.

Upon arrival about three miles from camp at this isolated patch of rose jungle, I felt sure that the tiger must be within. There was a similar but rather smaller area of wild rose about 3/4 mile distant, and it was highly probable that should the tiger be disturbed, it might slink away, break covert at the extreme end, and make off across the open gra.s.sland to the neighbouring shelter. I therefore posted myself outside the jungle in a kind of bay, where I considered the tiger would emerge from his secure hiding-place before he should risk a gallop across the open.

I threw out scouts as usual, and I sent the line of elephants round, to drive the jungle towards me from the opposite extremity.

A certain time elapsed, and at length I perceived the approach, in splendid line, each elephant as nearly as possible equidistant from its neighbour.

They marched forward in regular array until within a couple of hundred yards of my position; then suddenly I heard a trumpet, trunks were thrown up in the air, the line wavered, and a succession of well-known sounds showed that a tiger was before them. The mahouts steadied their animals, brought them again into a correct line, and the advance continued.

I was riding a large male elephant named Thompson; this was a fine animal with formidable tusks, but he was most unsteady. Already he was swaying to and fro with high excitement, as he knew full well by the trumpets and sounds of the other elephants that a tiger was not far distant.

Presently I saw the jungle shake, and a hog-deer dashed out within a few yards of me; the elephant whisked suddenly round; this prepared me for a display of his nervousness. Again the rose bushes moved, and I distinctly observed a yellowish body stealing beneath the tangled ma.s.s; it was quickly lost to sight. The line of beating elephants was coming slowly forward, cras.h.i.+ng their way through the bush, and occasionally giving a shrill scream, when again I saw the bushes move; without further introduction a very large tigress gave two or three roars, and rushed out of the jungle exactly opposite my position, straight at my elephant. Before I had time to raise my rifle, the elephant spun round as though upon a pivot, and ran off for a few paces, making it impossible for me to fire. The tiger, probably alarmed, turned back into the secure fortress of wild rose.

We now knew that the tiger was positively between the line of elephants and myself. I felt sure that it would not show again at the same place; I therefore selected a favourable spot about 100 yards to my left upon some slightly rising ground, and the elephants wheeled and beat directly towards me.

Nothing moved except pigs, which all broke back at a wild rush between the elephants' legs, two of which had slight cuts from the tusks of boars, which had made a spiteful dig at the opposing legs whilst pa.s.sing.

At length the line arrived within 20 yards from the margin of the thick jungle; here a regular rush took place; several hog-deer dashed back, but at the same time a tiger bounded forward, and galloped across the open gra.s.s-land in the direction of the neighbouring wild-rose covert.

The scouts holloaed, waved their puggarees, and then rode after the tiger as hard as they could press their active elephants.

My steed Thompson had behaved disgracefully, as he had again twisted suddenly round, and was so unsteady that although the tigress was not 10 yards from me I had not the power of firing; I accordingly relinquished my favourite rifle '577, which I secured in the rack, and took in exchange my handy No. 12 smooth-bore, which only weighed 7 lbs. With that light weapon I knew I could take a quick flying shot; the right-hand barrel was loaded with a spherical ball, and the left with 1 3/4 ounce S.S.G shot and 4 1/2 drams of powder. To load a cartridge case (Kynoch's bra.s.s) with this charge, and a very thick felt wad, it is necessary to fix the wad above the shot with thick gum, otherwise it will not contain the extra quant.i.ty.

Upwards of an hour was pa.s.sed in driving the second covert, but although we moved the tiger several times, it was impossible to obtain a shot, as the cunning brute, discovering our intentions, was determined not to break into the open near the elephant. At length, finding the impossibility of dislodging it, I put myself in the centre of the line, and left the end of the covert unguarded, so as to invite the tiger to make a dash through the interval to regain the former jungle.

As we marched along, driving in a compact line I presently observed the jungle move about 30 yards before me, and I immediately fired into the spot, not in the expectation of hitting an unseen animal, but I concluded that the shot would a.s.sist in driving it from the covert. This was successful, as shortly afterwards we heard the shouts of the mahouts on the scouting elephants, who reported that the tiger had gone away at great speed across the intervening ground towards the original retreat.

We hurried forward, and upon reaching the wild-rose jungle we re-formed the line, and made use of every possible manoeuvre for at least an hour without obtaining a view of the tiger. The elephants appeared confident that their enemy was there, and my men began to think that the shot I had fired into the bush might have wounded it, and that it was probably lying dead beneath some tangled foliage. By this time, through continual advancing and counter-marching, the jungle was completely trodden into confused ma.s.ses of concentrated briars, which might have concealed a buffalo.

I did not share their opinion, but I concluded that the tiger was crouching, and that it would allow the elephants to pa.s.s close to its lair without the slightest movement. I accordingly ordered them to close up shoulder to shoulder, and to take narrow beats backwards and forwards to include every inch of ground. This movement was carefully worked out, and in less than fifteen minutes a sudden roar terrified the elephants, and the tiger charged desperately through the line! There was no longer any doubt about its existence, and we quickly reformed, and beat back in exactly the same close order. Twice the charge was repeated, and each time the line was broken; one elephant received a trifling scratch, and the tiger had learned that a direct charge would enable it to escape.

With only one gun it appeared to be a mere lottery, but the excitement was delightful, as there was no doubt concerning the tiger being alive, and very little doubt that it would continue its present tactics of crouching close-hidden in the dense thicket, and springing back through the line of elephants as they advanced. I now changed my position in the line, and taking with me two experienced elephants. I placed one on my right, the other on my left; we then advanced as slowly as it was possible for the elephants to move, every mahout having strict orders to keep a bright look-out, and to halt should he see the slightest movement in the bush before him. No animals were left in the jungle except the tiger, therefore any movement would be a certain sign of its presence.