11 SOME PRE-WAR TIGER SHOOTS 9 



and spread out like a fan as quickly as possible 

 to the ends of the line of beaters. Two men at 

 least are wanted for this. If there is only one 

 man he must do one flank first and then the other ; 

 this means delay, and the tiger may hear the noise 

 and get away through the open flank. Stops 

 should always start from the centre. I have lost 

 more than one tiger through breaking this rule. 



If the cover into which the tiger will take his 

 kill is known for certain, machans may well be 

 put up before the kill. In any case, if there is 

 time before there is a kill, guns and shikaris 

 should reconnoitre probable lines of guns and 

 stops as well as the country into which the tiger 

 would go if wounded. This is a considerable 

 help in following up. 



It is hardly necessary to emphasize the import- 

 ance of silence in placing guns and stops. 



A good but elaborate system of preparation of 

 ground, of stops, and of beating by watch and 

 with certain manoeuvres, has been described by 

 a recent writer. Friends of mine have worked 

 on his system and found it excellent. To my 

 mind it is too elaborate. Shikaris and beaters 

 who can work by time in varying formations 

 require to be highly trained ; and I do not think 

 that, moving camp frequently and working on a 

 large scale, it is practicable to prepare the beats 

 in the way of cutting paths, to any large extent. 



We should have increased our bag, but had to 

 stop in one camp for ten days doing nothing 

 while I was recovering from a panther mauling. 

 I took a long shot at a big panther in a beat. He 

 fell but got up, and I missed with my left, and we 



