the ravine in which the tiger had taken up his
quarters after sucking the blood of his victim,
was four "cos"—about eight miles—distant, that
the tiger was certain to have returned to the
carcase during the night, and that having,
according to the custom of tigers, gorged
himself, he would as certainly retreat at daylight to
his former hiding-place, which abounded with
the shrubs in which tigers much delight. He
also said that the ravine was beautifully adapted
for beating, that a dry watercourse ran along
the bottom of it, on the banks of which several
trees convenient for perching on were to be found,
and that as soon as the beat commenced the
tiger would endeavour to retreat unseen along
it. Everything appeared to favour us; the
ravine, from all accounts, seemed almost to have
been made for us; there had been no difficulty
in obtaining beaters; and, altogether, we
beguiled away the journey, smoking our cheroots,
and thinking how surprised and envious our
fellows would be when we should relate to them
at mess our glorious day's sport.

After a little more than two hours' ride, during
which the sun had become much higher and
considerably warmer, Gungiah pointed to a densely
wooded ravine, and, some half mile away from it,
the forms of the beaters collected in a mass were
visible. A venerable looking old man with a very
white turban and "ungreka," bearing across his
shoulders an old cheetah skin peon's belt, with
a plate on which were sundry cabalistic characters,
could be seen approaching from the crowd.
We soon found that he was the "Potail," or
head man, of the village. He made a very
deep obeisance, bringing his hand two or three
times nearly to the earth, and making a motion as
though he were throwing something on his head,
indicative of the immense quantity of dust he was
figuratively humbling himself with. He stood
with slightly bent knees and hands clasped in a
beseeching attitude, wagging his head slowly
from side to side. His humility was overpowering.
After a great deal of blarney and many more lies,
we obtained from him the information that he
had collected some hundred and twenty beaters,
with tom-toms and other hideous music, each of
whom were ready to die in our service.

On reaching the mouth of the ravine we
dismounted, and, taking our rifles, consulted with
Gungiah as to the best spot at which to station
ourselves. He told us that he had heard from
the Gouli whose cow had been destroyed,
that, as he had anticipated, the tiger had
returned during the night to feast upon the
carcase, but had dragged it some short distance
up the ravine. This, he said, was all in our
favour, as we should now be able to reach
a couple of trees that he had noted as being
very likely perches, without fear of disturbing
the brute. His plan of campaign was, that,
escorted by him, we should take up our
positions on the trees, and then that he should
return to the beaters. His object was to
prevent the beast from escaping by the opposite
end of the ravine, and to force him to thread
the whole length of the nullah, and so bring him
under our trees; for this purpose he intended
dividing the beaters, and sending one half quietly
along one side, and the other half quietly along
the other side of the ravine, until they met at its
head, at the same time ordering them to extend
themselves like light infantry, and at a given
signal, when they were all in their places, to
commence to beat.

We found that Gungiah's opinion as to the
admirable position of the trees was perfectly
correct. They were separated from each other
about a hundred yards, and, as I was the
worse shot of the two, I agreed to take the
furthest off; for, in the event of my failing to
bag the animal, Fantom, who was a crack shot,
would be sure to have him as he hastened
towards the mouth of the ravine.

After a little scrambling, we were safely
seated on branches that admitted a fair view
of the surrounding jungle, and our body-men
were placed on the same tree at a convenient
distance for handing a fresh rifle, but so
as not to interfere with our view. Having seen
us safely lodged, Gungiah stealthily withdrew,
and for some time we awaited in breathless
silence and with beating hearts for the commencement
of the work. After waiting nearly twenty
minutes, which, in our anxious state, appeared
to us to be as many hours, we were startled by
the yells and howls of the beaters. The noise was
truly terrific, the sound of the tom-toms
reverberating again and again from the sides of the
ravine and the neighbouring hills. They had
scarcely proceeded a hundred yards before that
thrilling cry which denotes that game is afoot
ran along the whole line of beaters; my
attendant silently held up two fingers, from which
I judged that there were a couple of tigers—
male and female, no doubt. The beaters
proceeded rather slower and more cautiously, but
with more vigorous howling, and now and again
responding to Gungiah's commands. Gazing
watchfully around me, I thought I saw a leaf of
a shrub, overhanging the nullah some twenty
yards from my tree, move, and, at the same
instant, my attendant touched me, and pointed in
that direction. How my heart throbbed!
Presently, gliding noiselessly along, like a cat after
a bird, and without breaking a twig, I saw a
huge tiger. In a second my rifle was levelled; a
flash, a crack, and an angry roar followed.
The brute bounded out into the small open
space below my tree, and made a couple of
angry strokes with his two fore-paws in the air.
I knew, therefore, that I had hit him; but, not
perceiving me, he bounded off into the jungle.

My blood was up; my attendant's
remonstrances were in vain; down I jumped from the
tree, ordering him to follow; and proceeded
anxiously to track my victim, whom I supposed
to be mortally wounded, lying in some neighbouring
thicket. I peered keenly hither and thither
into the bushes, expecting momentarily to see