 Reference Base  India Minto and Morley 1905-1910 : compiled from the corr... |
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Minto, Mary Caroline Countess of, 1934. India Minto and Morley 1905-1910 : compiled from the correspondence between the Viceroy and the Secretary of State with extracts from her Indian journal. London, Macmillan
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| Location: |
Asia - South Asia - India - Assam |
| Subject: |
Distribution |
| Species: |
Indian Rhino |
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February 11 [1909]. We have had three thrilling days in the jungle at Lahapara in Assam, the Maharajah of Cooch Behar kindly undertaking to make all arrangements. The first day we went after tiger. I cannot describe the tensity of anticipation and silence as the beat gradually creeps nearer and nearer: every blade of grass and scrub is keenly watched: every sense is painfully alert. At last a flash of yellow appeared. I fired, and saw the tiger’s white chest as he raised himself and, with a bound, dashed past our elephant into the jungle beyond. I thought I had missed him but the shikari declared he was hit, and with great rapidity the line of elephants was reformed surrounding the patch of jungle where Cooch Behar thought he was lying. As the circle narrowed, the tiger bounded out of a clump of thick grass, and made for Gaptain Jelf’s elephant, smiting at his trunk with his mighty paw in passing. Then, with a desperate spring, he landed on the head of Eileen’s elephant, which remained staunch, and the tiger was killed by her companion, Colonel Hammond, who hurriedly shot it over her head.
The next day we went after rhino. This is a dangerous sport, as, though elephants will stand the charge of a tiger, they will rarely face rhino or pig without wavering, as these animals frequetly gore the most vulnerable parts of their huge bodies. It had been sternly impressed upon everyone that, as the kill of rhino in this district is restricted, no one except the Viceroy was to fire. The trumpeting of the elephants led us to expect some sport, and several elephants stampeded in spite of the desperate efforts of the mahouts to keep them in line. Suddenly a cow rhino dashed out of the jungle and charged straight for the elephant on which Eileen and the Maharajah were riding. In cases of self-defence the law is of course relaxed, and the Maharajah shouted to Eileen: “Fire! By God, fire!” but Eileen was obdurate until the rhino closed with the elephant: then both she and the Maharajah fired, with their rifles almost touching the rhino’s back. Wounded, the rhino dashed back to the jungle, pursued by their galloping elephant. The Maharajah, grasping the howdah with one hand and holding his rifle with the other as if it were a pistol, emptied the magazine at the disappearing rhino, which was eventually secured, Minto having hurried to their assistance.
After a brief lull, Francis Scott and I, who were together on an elephant and had been spectators of this drama, saw a huge bull rhino slowly appearing from a different direction. He stood stationary for some time about eighty yards away, giving us a broadside view of bis enormous body, a target almost impossible to miss. The self-restraint required to keep from firing was considerable, but we remained true to orders. Our loyalty, alas, was not rewarded, as Minto never had an opportunity of getting a shot at him, but we were praised for our honourable conduct.
The same day Victor Brooke had a different and very dangerous adventure. He was always casual as to personal safety, and when he saw a cow rhino and her calf emerge from the jungle he did not shoot but hurriedly grasped his kodak, being anxious to obtain a picture. On sighting the elephant the rhino charged, and these huge beasts met with a tremendous concussion, like two battleships ramming each other; the shock was terrific. Victor was hurled against the iron bar of the howdah, his rifle was flung to the ground, and his right arm severely damaged. Meanwhile me young rhino attacked the elephant firom the rear. With his left hand Victor managed to cock his small Winchester rifle and fired three shots. After much trampling round and round, the rhino eventually made off with her calf. Francis, who had seen the encounter from the next howdah, attempted to come to Victor’s rescue, but his elephant turned and careered away into the open.
On the third day I was the lucky one of the party, being fortunate in securing both a buffalo and a bison, a compensation for having sacrificed the wonderful opportunity of adding a rhino to my trophies, which, with my tiger, bison and buffalo, would surely have made a record for a three days’ shoot.
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