134 INDIAN BIG GAME 



distance from camp I decided I would stay the 

 whole night if Stripes did not turn up in daylight. 



I climbed into the tree at 3 p.m. ; darkness came 

 but not the tiger. I tried my light to see if it 

 was working all right ; it was splendid, I could see 

 the kill plumb in the centre of the halo of light. 

 About 10 o'clock, hearing tearing and gnawing, I 

 switched on the lamp and made out the head of a 

 tiger, and fired. This was followed by a "• whoof " 

 and snuffle as the animal charged away. Barely 

 a few minutes had elapsed after I doused the glim 

 when there was a loud roar from the direction in 

 which the wounded beast had gone. I was puzzled 

 as to what it meant, but feeling sure my bullet had 

 got home all right, I rolled myself up in a blanket 

 for a snooze, with one ear anyway on the alert. 



It was about midnight when, to my astonish- 

 ment, I was thoroughly aroused by the sound of 

 fearful rending. Quickly training my rifle on to 

 the kill I again turned on the light and saw a huge 

 tigress apparently trying to tear the head off 

 the kill. On seeing the glare she sat up on her 

 haunches and gazed up at the seeming full moon 

 which had so suddenly appeared. This offered a 

 priceless shot, which I took immediate advantage 

 of, and I heard the thud of the bullet as I scored 

 a bull. She plunged forward and came crashing 

 towards my tree, close to which she expired. 



Next morning we found the result of my first 

 shot in the shape of bone, sinew, and hair scattered 

 on the ground, and on following the blood tracks 

 we came on a wounded three-quarter grown cub, 

 which had a smashed paw and shoulder ; this I 

 despatched at close quarters with my 12-bore. 



