The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1874-02-19
A sHOOTINGExFEDITION IN INDIA

A sHOOTING-EXPEDITION IN INDIA.
AS business would compel me to re-
main in Calcutta for a month or so be-
fore finally setting out, my host pro-
! posed a shooting-expedition up-country:
and, as Bengal tigers were to be our
game, I eagerly embraced the Opportu-
nifty of seeing a little tiger-shOoting.
After breakfast, having slowed rifles
and ammunition IN the hGtUdGlS, the
party mounted, and filed out of camp
and gOodly company we We're first,
the seven sGhi6s, each sitting in his
ho1OdGh with a servant behind him
next, about twenty elephants to be used
in beating; then the horses of the
patty, each led by its syce and followed
by a grass-cutter and lastly by crowd
of native beaters.
Our ground was soon reached, and,
having collected q number of beaters,
we began work by beating up a fauLtGh,
or deep, dry bed of a stream, thickly
overgrown with tall reeds and grass,
RAINING for some distance through the
plain. Scarcely had we entered the
aulLah before the rustling of the grass
and reeds ahead, and angry trumpeting
OF the elephant, gave warning that
game was afoot The horses of the
expectant spearmen who followed us
along the banks of the 2ltlLGh became
very excited while their riders settled
themselves firmly in their saddles, pre-
paratory to a dash after the pigs which
might bolt from cover any moment.
Thus we kept on, the noise of the
beaters and trumpeting of my ele-
phant increasing at every fresh rush
ahead. until we arrived almost at the
head of the glulIah.
We were now apparently quite close
on the pig, for it was with some diff
Guilty that my nldhOltt could induce his
timid elephant to proceed; however,
determined application of his sharp
pointed iron goad made the animal
rush forward with an angry screech,
and then, with a magnificent bound,
fine leopard sprang out into the plain.
This was an unexpected treat for the
pig-stickers the chance of spearlng
leopard from horseback does not occur
every day, and plenty of law was given
to the game. Then the spears were
poised, and away the horsemen dashed
after his spotted excellency.
For about five hundred yards the
chase was most exciting, and it seemed
as if the fate of the leopard was sealed,
for one of the party was close on 1T.
Suddenly, however, the cunning brute
doubled back and succeeded in reaching
the 7lltILdh. This was a great dlSap-
pointmemt, as all our efforts to get
him out in the open again proved un-
a7ailing; the beast doubled backward
and forward under the feet of my ele-
phant, refusing to break cover.
More than an hour was spent in try
ing to beat him out, until, at last, the
patience of the party being exhausted,
It was suggested that I should shoot 1t.
This was not an easy matter, as the long
grass and weeds in the nltLLdh were so
thick that could only now and then
catch q glimpse of a few 'pots as he
doubled past me. At last, however,
after one or two Intellectual shots,
spied the sulky animal crouched under
the bank of the nulldh, within couple
of Yards of my elephants trunk. His
fate was sealed, for, rs he afforded me a
fair sight, q charge of No. shot
reached his heart, and he rolled into the
bottom of the RUtidh quite dead.
When he was brought out into the
open he proved to be n nearly full
grown male, and very fat. The villagers
who made mp our party of beaters rec
ocnized him as the thief who had
wrought considerable havoc among their
herds for some time past, and hailed his
inanimate form with shouts of derlslon.
Such was the beginning of this days
sport.
Havisg placed the leopard on the
elephant, we struck off into the plain
for a batch of high grass, where, as luck
would have it, we pnt up fine sounder
af,.a Inr-nvganFa IN
chase. One or two fair sized pigs were
speared. and, what with the excitement
OF the sport and the delightful GOODNESS
of the day, the spirits of the party rose
high, and the death wonnd of every
boar was hailed by the native beaters,
who saw visions of a great feast, with
loud shouts of delight.
Continuing on across the plain, we
reached another batch of high grass.
Beaters were scarcely into 1t when
sounder of pig broke c; yer. Each rider
SINGLED out his boar, and dashed after
il. One of the party, L., noted
spear in Bengal, being better mounted
than the other two, got away after
splendid old boar at a terrible pace; fer
nearly mile Is fine Austria ian
horse did his best, but the old boar
held his own very pluckily. It really
WAS q nltu AuSNs anu sAN NAAI e---AN ~
seemed, as I watched it from the top of
the elephant, that piggy would get the
best of IL; but he had a bold end de-
fermined spear behind him, and 1t soon
became evident that the horse was gain
ing.
The boar, pereeiving that be could
/ not reach fresh cover, doubled back To-
ward his old haunt, and then it became
| n race of life and death for him. he
/ had done his best, and every stride now
/ brought l. clossr TO him, until at
/ last horse and boar raced alongside
each other, so close that the long flakes
of foam blown from the jaws of the pig
/ dotted the fianks of the horse Now
was the time; L., rising In his stir
rms. gave a mighty thrust as his horse
shot past the quarry. The boar, deeply
stricken, but too far behind the shout
/ der. stopped short, while L., unable
to withdraw his spear, passed on, leay-
ing il sticking upright IN the body OF
I the boar.
Bv this time the rest Of the party had
advanced to within few hundred yards
Of L.. who rode mp for another
spear, and then returned to the encoun-
ter.
The boar had stood champing his
teeth in impotent rage from the time oi
bis being struck, but. when he per
oeived L. coming toward hiin 'g'in'