124 INDIAN BIG GAME 



6 o'clock, a good half-hour before sunset, I heard 

 rending and munching in a totally opposite 

 direction, but could see nothing as I was in thick 

 jungle. I called for my men, hoping they might 

 turn up in time to investigate, as without a sling 

 I did not care to risk breaking my heavy D.B. 

 •375 by letting it drop while scrambling down the 

 tree. My men only hurried up at dusk and that 

 after signalling for a third time, so there was 

 nothing to be done but return to the bungalow 

 with the determination to be at the tiger's haunts 

 by daylight. 



The next morning I left the bungalow soon 

 after five by lantern light, and we were within half 

 a mile of the place by the first streak of dawn. 

 We first visited the three kills, which were 

 untouched. With me were a Sholaga tracker and 

 the cattleman. Pointing in the direction whence 

 I had heard the sound of eating the previous 

 evening, I told the Sholaga to lead the way, 

 warning him to go carefully and keep his eyes 

 open, as I knew the best chance of bagging the 

 tiger lay in our finding him on the kill, for if once 

 disturbed after such a heavy meal, the probability 

 of his returning before dark would be very remote. 

 The Sholaga certainly guided me by the best 

 route, but unfortunately his eyes were not 

 skinned sufficiently, for, as I followed on his 

 footsteps and looked across a slight hollow to the 

 bank of a small stream, I saw the head of a big 

 tiger lying down facing away from us. I tried 

 to stop the Sholaga by a slightly audible hiss, 

 but without result, so in desperation I slewed 

 my rifle round on the spot. Just as I did so the 



