Wild Beasts and Their Ways, Reminiscences of Europe, Asia, Africa and America Part 12

Having taken our positions-Mr. Berry amidst a few trees which formed a clump in a narrow glade outside, and myself around the corner of a jungle--the beat commenced. I was in the howdah upon Moolah Bux, and from my elevated position I could look across the sharp corner of the jungle and see a portion of the narrow glade commanded by my companion Berry; upon my side there was a large open s.p.a.ce perfectly clear for about 200 yards, therefore the jungle was well guarded upon two sides, as the drive would terminate at the corner.

In a short time the usual monotony of the beater's cries was exchanged for a series of exciting shouts, which showed that game of some kind was on foot. We had lost so much hope, that the presence of a tiger was considered too remote to restrict our shooting to such n.o.ble game, and it had been agreed to lose no chance, but to fire at any animal that should afford a shot. Presently, after a sudden roar of animated voices, I saw ten or twelve wild pigs emerge from the jungle and trot across the glade which Berry commanded. A double shot from his rifle instantly responded.

The line of beaters was closing up. This was a curious contrast to the dull routine which had been the character of the drives throughout the day; there was game afoot, and the jungle being open, it could be seen, therefore immense enthusiasm was exhibited by the natives. Another burst of excited voices proclaimed a discovery of other animals, and a herd of eight or ten spotted deer (cheetul) broke covert close to my elephant and dashed full speed across the open glade. They were all does and young bucks without antlers, therefore I reserved my fire. We could not now complain of want of sport, as all the animals appeared to be concentrated in this jungle; another sudden yelling of the beaters was quickly followed by a rush of at least twenty pigs across Berry's glade, and once again his rifle spoke with both barrels in quick succession. I was in hope that the sambur stag that I had heard bark in this direction might be still within the drive, but the beaters were closing up, and the greater portion of the line had already emerged upon either side of the acute angle.

I now perceived Berry advancing towards me, he having left his place of concealment in the clump of trees. "Did you see him?" he exclaimed, as he approached within hearing distance. "See what?" I replied; "have you wounded a boar?" "A boar! No; I did not fire at a boar, but at a tiger, the biggest that I ever saw in my experience! He pa.s.sed close by me, within 20 yards, at the same time that the herd of pigs broke covert; and I fired right and left, and missed him with both barrels; confound it."

This was a most important announcement, and I immediately dismounted from my elephant to examine the spot where the tiger had so recently appeared. It must indeed have been very close to Berry, as I had not seen the beast, my line of view being limited by the intervening jungle to the portion of the glade across which the pigs had rushed.

I now measured the distance from Berry's position to the tracks of the tiger, which we discovered after some few minutes' search. This was under 20 yards. The question now most important remained-Was the tiger wounded? A minute investigation of the ground showed the mark of a bullet, but we could find no other. This looked as though it must have struck the tiger, but Berry was very confident that such was not the case, as he declared the tiger did not alter his pace when fired at, but, on the contrary, he walked majestically across the narrow glade with his head turned in the opposite direction from Berry's position. He was of opinion that the tiger had not been disturbed by the close report of the rifle, as the noise of 164 beaters shouting at the maximum power of their voices was so great that the extra sound of the rifle bore only a small proportion.

We looked in vain for blood-tracks, and having come to the conclusion that Berry had fired too high in a moment of excitement, we now made the most careful arrangements for driving the jungle into which the tiger had so recently retreated.

This formed a contrast to all others that we had beaten during the morning's work, as it had not been burnt. The fire had stopped at a native footpath, and instead of the bare ground, absolutely devoid of gra.s.s or dead leaves, the withered herbage as yellow as bright straw stood 3 feet high, and formed a splendid cover for animals of all kinds.

I felt certain that the tiger would not leave so dense a covert without an absolute necessity; at the same time it was necessary to make a reconnaissance of the jungle before we could determine upon our operations.

Mounting my elephant Moolah Bux, I begged Berry to take Demoiselle, and accompanied by a couple of good men we left the long line of beaters stationed in order of advance along the glade, with instructions to march directly that we should send them the necessary orders. I begged them upon this occasion not to shout, but merely to tap the trees with their sticks as their line came forward.

We proceeded about a quarter of a mile ahead, and then turned into the jungle on our left. Continuing for at least 300 yards, we arrived at some open ground much broken by shallow nullahs, which formed natural drains in a slight depression of gra.s.sy land between very low hills of jungle, through which we had recently pa.s.sed. There was a small nullah issuing from the forest, in which I placed my elephant, and I begged my friend Berry to ride Demoiselle to a similar place about 200 yards upon my right. I concluded that should the tiger be between us and the line of beaters, he would in all probability steal along one or the other of these nullahs before he could cross the open ground. We now sent back one of the natives with orders for the line of beaters to advance. Mr.

Berry left upon Demoiselle to take up his position, while I pushed Moolah Bux well into the jungle in the centre of the small nullah, which commanded a clear view of about 20 yards around.

In a short time we heard the clacking sound of many sticks, the beaters having obeyed the injunction, and keeping profound silence with their voices.

There were no animals in this jungle, probably they had been frightened by the great noise of the beaters when shouting in the recent drive; at any rate, the beat was barren, and having waited fruitlessly until I could see the men approaching within a few yards of my position, I ordered the elephant to turn round, with the intention of proceeding another quarter of a mile in advance, and thus continuing to beat the jungle in sections until it should be thoroughly driven out.

I had hardly turned the elephant, when we were startled by tremendous roars of a tiger, continued in quick succession within 50 yards of the position that I occupied. I never heard either before or since such a volume of sound proceeding from a single animal; there was a horrible significance in the grating and angry voice that betokened the extreme fury of attack. Not an instant was lost! The mahout was an excellent man, as cool as a cuc.u.mber, and never over-excited. He obeyed the order to advance straight towards the spot, in which the angry roars still continued without intermission.

Moolah Bux was a thoroughly dependable elephant, but although moving forward with a majestic and determined step, it was in vain that I endeavoured to hurry the mahout; both man and beast appeared to understand their business thoroughly, but to my ideas the pace was woefully slow if a.s.sistance was required in danger.

The ground was slightly rising, and the jungle thick with saplings about 20 feet in height, and as thick as a man's leg; these formed an undergrowth among the larger forest trees.

Moolah Bux crashed with ponderous weight through the resisting ma.s.s, bearing down all obstacles before him as he steadily made his way through the intervening growth. The roars had now ceased. There were no leaves upon the trees at this advanced season, and one could see the natives among the branches in all directions as they were perched for safety in the tree-tops, to which they had climbed like monkeys at the terrible sounds of danger. "Where is the tiger?" we shouted to the first man we could distinguish in this safe retreat only a few yards distant.

"Here, here!" replied the man, pointing immediately beneath him. Almost at the same instant, with a loud roar, the tiger, which had been lying ready for attack, sprang forward directly for Moolah Bux.

There were so many trees intervening that I could not fire, and the elephant, instead of halting, moved forward, meeting the tiger in its spring. With a swing of his huge head Moolah Bux broke down several tall saplings, which crashed towards the infuriated tiger and checked the onset; whether the animal was touched by the elephant's tusks I could not determine, but it appeared to be within striking distance when the trees were broken across its path. Discomfited for the moment, the tiger bounded in retreat, and Moolah Bux stood suddenly like a rock, without the slightest movement. This gave me a splendid opportunity, and the '577 bullet rolled the enemy over like a rabbit. Almost at the same instant, having performed a somersault, the tiger disappeared, and fell struggling among the high gra.s.s and bushes about 15 paces distant.

I now urged Moolah Bux carefully forward until I could plainly see the tiger's shoulders, and a second shot through the exact centre of the blade-bone terminated its existence.

The elephant had behaved beautifully, and I have frequently looked back to that attack in thick forest, and been thankful that I was not mounted upon such animals as I have since that time had the misfortune to possess. Moolah Bux now approached the dead body, and at the command of the mahout he pulled out by the roots all the small undergrowth of saplings and dried herbage to clear a s.p.a.ce around his late antagonist.

In doing this his trunk several times touched the skin of the tiger, which he appeared to regard with supreme indifference.

I gave two loud whistles with my fingers as a signal that all was over, and we were still occupied in clearing away the smaller growth of jungle, when a native approached as though very drunk, reeling to and fro, and at length falling to the ground close to the elephant's heels; the man was covered with blood, and he had evidently fainted. I had an excellent Madras servant named Thomas, who was behind me in the howdah, and he lost no time in descending from the elephant and in pouring water over the unfortunate coolie, from a jar which I handed from beneath the seat. In a few moments the man showed signs of life, and the beaters began to collect around the spot. Two men were approaching supporting a limp and half-collapsed figure between them, completely deluged with blood; this was a second victim of the tiger's attack. Both men were now laid upon the ground, and water poured over their faces and chests; but during this humane operation another party was observed, carrying in their arms the body of a third person, which was hardly to be recognised through the ma.s.s of blood coagulated and mixed with dead leaves and sand, as the tiger had dragged and torn its victim along the ground with remorseless fury. This was a sad calamity. There could be little doubt that when we heard the roars of the infuriated beast it was attacking the line of beaters, and knocking them over right and left before they had time to ascend the trees. The village was only a mile distant, and we immediately sent for three charpoys (native bed-steads) as stretchers to convey the wounded men. Demoiselle arrived with Mr. Berry, who came into my howdah, while the tiger was with some difficulty secured upon the pad of that exceedingly docile elephant. In this form we entered the village as a melancholy procession;, the news having spread, all the women turned out to meet us, weeping and wailing in loud distress, and the scene was so touching that I began to reflect that tiger-shooting might be fun to some, but death to others, who, poor fellows, had to advance unarmed through dangerous jungle.

The reason for this savage attack was soon discovered. As a rule, there is little danger to a line of beaters provided the tiger is unwounded, and no person should ever place his men in the position to drive a jungle when a wounded tiger is in retreat. In such a case, if no elephants are present, it would be necessary to obtain the a.s.sistance of buffaloes; a herd of these animals driven through the jungle would quickly dislodge a tiger. We now skinned our late enemy, while a messenger was started towards Moorwarra, 9 or 10 miles distant, to prepare the authorities for the reception of our wounded men in hospital.

The skin having been taken off, we discovered a small hole close to the root of the tail, which had not been observed. Upon a close examination with the finger, I found minute fragments of lead, resembling very small shot flattened upon an anvil. The hole was not deeper than 1 1/4 inch in the hard muscle of the rump, and the only effect of Berry's '577 hollow Express was to produce this trumpery wound, which had enraged the animal without creating any serious injury. It is necessary to explain that the bullet of this rifle was more than usually light and hollow; but the want of penetrating power of the hollow projectile, and the dangerous results, were terribly demonstrated, notwithstanding the large charge of 6 drams of powder.

A comparison of the effect of my '577 with the same charge of 6 drams, but with a solid bullet of ordinary pure lead weighing 648 grains, was very instructive. The first shot, when the tiger was bounding in retreat after it had charged the elephant, had struck the right flank, and as the animal was moving obliquely, the bullet had pa.s.sed through the lungs, then, breaking the shoulder-bone, it was found in its integrity just beneath the skin of the shoulder upon the side opposite to that of entry; it was very much flattened upon one side, as it had traversed an oblique course throughout, and had torn the inside of the animal in a dreadful manner. The second shot, fired simply to extinguish the dying tiger, pa.s.sed through both shoulders, but was found under the skin upon the opposite side, flattened exactly like a mushroom, into a diameter of about 1 1/2 inch at the head, leaving about half an inch of the base uninjured which represented the stalk. This was a large tiger, and remarkably thick and heavy, with strong and hard muscles, nevertheless the penetration of the soft leaden bullet was precisely correct for that quality of game. If the '577 bullet had been made of an admixture of tin or other alloy to produce extreme hardness, it would have pa.s.sed through the body of the tiger with a high velocity, but the animal would have escaped the striking energy, which would not have been expended upon the resisting surface. It is the striking energy, the knocking-down power of a projectile, that is so necessary when hunting dangerous game. I cannot help repet.i.tion in enforcing this principle: there is a minimum amount of striking energy in a light hollow projectile, and a maximum amount in a solid heavy projectile; keep the latter within the animal to ensure the effect of the blow; this will be effected by a bullet made of pure lead without admixture with other metal, to flatten upon impact, and by the expansion of surface it will create a terrific wound; at the same time it will have sufficient momentum from its great weight to push forward, and to overcome the resistance of opposing bones and muscles. A very large tiger may weigh 450 lbs.; a '577 bullet of 650 grains, propelled by 6 drams of powder, has a striking energy of 3520 foot-pounds. This may be only theoretical measurement, but the approximate superiority of 3500 lbs. against the tiger's weight, 450 lbs., would be sufficient to ensure the stoppage of a charge, or the collapse of the animal in any position, provided that the bullet should be retained within the body, and thus bestow the whole force of the striking energy.

We did all that could be done for our wounded men. The strength of caste prejudices was so potent that, although in pangs of thirst from pain and general shock to the system, they would accept nothing from our hands. I made a mixture of milk with soda-water, brandy, and laudanum, but they refused to swallow it, and the only course, after was.h.i.+ng their wounds and bandaging, was to leave them to the treatment of their own people.

One man was severely bitten through the chest and back, the fangs of the tiger having penetrated the lungs; he was also clawed in a terrible manner about the head and face, where the paws of the animal had first made fast their hold. This man died in a few hours. The others were bitten through the shoulder and upper portion of the arm, both in the same manner, and the sharp claws had cut through the scalp from the forehead across the head to the back of the neck, inflicting clean wounds to the bone, as though produced by a pruning-knife. They were conveyed in litters to the hospital in Moorwarra, where they remained for nearly a month, at the expiration of which they recovered. The seizure by the claws was effected without the shock of a blow.

This serious accident was entirely due to a hollow bullet: if a solid bullet had struck a tiger in the same place it would have carried away a portion of the spine, and the animal would have been paralysed upon the spot.

In the absence of a dependable elephant we should have been helpless, and the tiger might have wounded or killed many others.

CHAPTER VII

THE TIGER (CONTINUED)

The day after the accident described, we were sitting beneath the shade of a mango grove at about 4 P.M. when a native arrived at the camp with news that a tiger had just killed a valuable cow which gave him a large supply of milk, and the body was lying about 2 miles distant. The tragic incident of the previous day had established a panic in the village, and the natives were not in the humour to turn out as beaters. I quite shared their feeling, as I did not wish to expose the poor people after the loss they had sustained; it was too late for a beat, therefore I determined to take the two elephants and make a simple reconnaissance, that might be of use upon the following day.

It was 4.30 P.M. by the time we started, as the two elephants had taken some time to prepare. The native was tolerably correct in his estimate of distance, and after pa.s.sing through a long succession of glades and wooded hills, broken by deep nullahs, we arrived at the place, where soaring vultures marked the spot, and the remains of a fine white cow were discovered, that had been killed upon the open ground and dragged into the dense jungle. Leaving Demoiselle in the open, and taking Berry into my howdah upon Moolah Bux, we carefully searched the jungle until sunset, but finding nothing, we were obliged to return to camp, having made ourselves thoroughly acquainted with the conditions of the locality. On the following morning at daylight I took only twenty men, who had recovered from their panic, and with the two elephants and a very plucky policeman we made our way to the place where the body of the cow was lying on the previous evening. It was gone. Leaving all the men outside the jungle, we followed on Moolah Bux, tracking along the course where the tiger had dragged the carcase, and keeping a sharp look-out in all directions. After a course of about 150 yards we arrived at a spot where the tiger had evidently rested: here it had devoured the larger portion, and nothing but the head remained. It was impossible to decide whether jackals or hyenas had made away with the remnants, or whether the tiger had carried them off to some secure hiding-place, but it was highly probable that the animal was not far distant.

The jungle was not more than 5 or 6 acres, and it was surrounded by gra.s.s; we therefore determined to arrange scouts around, while we should thoroughly but slowly examine the covert upon the two elephants.

There was nothing in the drive.

The slope upon which the jungle was situated drained towards an exceedingly deep and broad nullah; this formed the main channel, into which numerous smaller nullahs converged from the surrounding inclination. The general character of the country was withered gra.s.s upon numerous slopes, the tops of which were covered with low jungle. At the lower portion of the deep nullah there was a small but important pool of water, as it was the only drinking-place within a distance of 2 miles. As usual, there was a sandbank around this deep pool, which, being in the bend of the nullah, had been swept out of the opposing bank and deposited near, the drinking-hole. Upon this sandy surface we found several tracks of tigers, and we arrived at the conclusion that a tiger and tigress had been together, and that I had killed the male on the occasion of the accident; the female would therefore be the animal of which we were in search.

The nullah was about 20 yards across and 30 feet in depth; the banks were in most places perpendicular, and the bottom was rough with stones, intermingled with bushes, most of which had lost their foliage. It was quite possible that, after drinking the tigress might have lain down to sleep among the bushes, where the hollowed bank afforded a cool shade; but I did not like to send men into the dangerous bottom, and the banks were so steep that the elephants could not possibly descend.

About 400 paces distant, a large tree grew from the right bank, and the branches overhung the nullah; I therefore suggested to Berry that he should take up a position in the boughs, and that we would beat towards him by pelting the bottom of the ravine with stones; should the tigress break back, I could stop her from the howdah, and should she move forward, she must pa.s.s directly beneath the tree upon which Berry would be seated. This plan was carried out, but the plucky policeman insisted upon descending into the nullah and walking up the bottom, while the natives upon either side bombarded the banks with stones.

There was absolutely nothing alive in that inviting nullah. I had walked Moolah Bux slowly along, looking down from the margin of the ravine, and upon arrival at Berry's perch I took him up behind me in the rear compartment of the howdah. I felt almost sure that, although we had drawn a blank up to the present time, the tigress would be lying somewhere among the numerous deep but narrow nullahs which drained into the main channel that we had just examined. We therefore determined to leave all the men seated upon a knoll on the highest ground, while we should try the various nullahs upon Moolah Bux; as he could walk slowly along the margin so close to the edge that we should be able to look down into the bottom of each ravine, and in the parched state of vegetation nothing could escape our view.

The natives were well satisfied with this arrangement, and they took their seats upon a gra.s.sy hill, which afforded a position from which they could watch our movements.

Moolah Bux commenced his stately march, walking so close to the hard edge of the deep nullahs that I was rather anxious lest the bank should suddenly give way. The instinct of an elephant is extraordinary in the selection of firm ground. Although it appeared dangerous to me, Moolah Bux was perfectly satisfied that the ground would bear his weight, and he continued his risky march, both up and down a number of those monotonous ravines which scored the slopes in all directions, but without success.

The sun was like fire, and it was difficult to grasp the barrel of the rifle. It was past noon, and we had been working unceasingly since 6 a.m. The bottoms of the ravines were filled some feet in depth with dry leaves, which had fallen from the trees (now naked) which fringed the banks, therefore we could have seen a cat had she been lying either in the nullah or upon the barren sides. "There is no tigress here," said Berry; "this is one of those sly brutes, that kills and eats, but does not remain near her kill; she is probably a couple of miles away while we are looking for her in these coverless nullahs."

These words were hardly uttered, when we suddenly heard a rus.h.i.+ng sound like a strong wind, which seemed to disturb the dried leaves in the deep bottom somewhere in our front. At first I could hardly understand the cause, but in a few seconds a large tigress sprang up the bank, and appeared about 20 paces in our front. Without a moment's hesitation she uttered several short roars, and upon the beautifully clean ground she bounded forward in full charge straight for Moolah Bux. I never saw a more grand but unprovoked attack.

The elephant was startled by the unexpected apparition, and I could not fire, as he swung his mighty head upon one side, but almost immediately he received the tigress upon his long tusks, and with a swing to the right he sent her flying into the deep nullah from which she had just emerged.

Although the trees and shrubs were utterly devoid of leaves, there was unfortunately a large and dense evergreen bush exactly opposite, called karoonda; the tigress sprang up the bank, and disappeared behind this opaque screen before we had time to fire.

The mahout, who was a splendid fellow, perceived this in an instant, and driving his elephant a few paces forward, he turned his head to the right, giving me a beautiful clear sight of the tigress, bounding at full speed about 80 paces distant along the clean surface of parched herbage, up a slight incline.

I heard the crack of Berry's rifle close to my ear, but no effect was produced. The tigress was going directly away from us, and Moolah Bux stood as firm as a rock, without the least vibration. As I touched the trigger, the tigress performed a most perfect somersault, and lay extended on the bare soil with her head turned towards us, and her tail stretched in a straight line exactly in the opposite direction. A great cheer from our men, who had witnessed the flying shot from their position on the knoll, was highly satisfactory.

We now turned back, and at length discovered a spot where the elephant could descend and cross the deep nullah. We then measured the distance--82 yards, as nearly as we could step it. My .577 solid bullet of pure lead had struck the tigress in the back of the neck; it had reduced to pulp several of the vertebrae, and entering the brain, it had divided itself into two portions by cutting its substance upon the hard bones of the broken skull, which was literally smashed to pieces.

I found a sharp-pointed jagged piece of lead, representing about one-third of the bullet, protruding through the right eye-ball; the remaining two-thirds I discovered in the bones of the face by the back teeth, where it was fixed in a misshapen but compact ma.s.s among splinters of broken jaw.