This week I visited the Royal Armouries in Leeds with my class at university. I seem to have been visiting a lot of museums and attractions etc recently, but it's something I really enjoy doing. There are a lot of things in Leeds that are well worth visiting (and really good value for money); I've been to the Armoury several times now, and I think it's definitely worth visiting more than once. The museum includes arms, armour, weaponry etc throughout history and from several different cultures. As usual, I took about a million photos; I'm really snap happy recently!
Here is some information adapted from the information board in the above photo:
'...Blake's elephant, charging boldly up to the crouching tiger, he hurriedly fired a right and a left, which wounded the infuriated beast but did not disable him; for the monster bounded on a low bank; and then with a terrific guttural growling noise, he sprang clean to the elephant's forehead, and, with claws and fangs fastening on his head and ears, dragged him to his knees.
[...] My elephant pluckily rushed up, as I brushed past I planted a right-and-left just behind the top of the shoulder-blade; and Blake, who never for a moment lost his presence of mind leaned over the front of the howdah, and almost simultaneously lodged the contents of his second gun in the nape of his neck. The brute relaxed his grip and fell to the ground.'
This scene shows a wounded tiger turning and attacking his persuers. The incident is described in a book by Henry Astbury Leveson, one of the most famous English big game hunters of Victorian times. The events described here probably took place during his army service (in the Indian Army).
I did take a lot more photos than these, but unfortunately a lot of the things were displayed in glass cases, and on several of the photos there was a lot of glare from the glass. In addition to what is shown above, there are displays with many more weapons (which would have made great photos had there not been the glass in the way!). There are some more photos on the website, if you would like to see some more, but just as a heads up, I was having difficulty getting the website to work properly (not sure if it's just me...)
Lastly, I have added Tumblr to the list of social networking sites I am currently using. I will be using Tumblr to share photos that I enjoy but which won't be included on this blog (vintage, inspiration, outtakes of my own photos etc). You can find me on Tumblr at www.lovebirdsvintage.tumblr.com and I am also on Facebook, facebook.com/HelenMaeGreen.
3 comments
That one of the guys on the elephant shooting a tiger is pretty crazy! I can't imagine doing that!
ReplyDeleteAmazingly, this is a depiction of something that actually happened! I managed to get another photo of it with the information board in the shot so I've added the description underneath the photo.
DeleteStunning that's great!!!!! Follow each other?!
ReplyDeleteCHIC STREET CHOC
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