140 INDIAN BIG GAME chap. 



part nobly in the way of bleating, I concentrated 

 my attention on the river-bed, at the same time 

 keeping an eye on the opposite bank. 



Nothing seemed to stir, and it was getting on 

 for 5 o'clock ; the storm, thank goodness, had not 

 come my way, but the wind still seemed to be 

 blowing adversely. Something, an instinct I 

 suppose, caused me to give a glance towards the 

 kill, and there was a tiger facing me, actually 

 standing on the kill. In bringing my rifle round it 

 knocked a bough, with the only result that the tiger 

 looked behind with a snarl. If it had looked in 

 the direction of the sound it could not have failed 

 to see me, as I was almost on the same level 

 amongst totally bare branches. I dropped the 

 brute on the top of its meal with a bullet between 

 its shoulders. 



Not caring to sit up any longer than necessary, 

 I three times called loudly for my men but got 

 no response, although they had assured me they 

 were within easy hearing. Knowing that they 

 would anyway turn up at dusk, I lit a cheroot, 

 making myself as comfy as possible. An hour 

 could not have elapsed when I noticed the goat 

 seemed uneasy, stamping its foot and staring 

 fixedly. Turning my eyes in the direction I saw 

 another tiger standing broadside on in the bam- 

 boo, looking straight at the goat ; an easy pot- 

 shot which I took full advantage of. For the 

 second time two tigers over one kill, and in broad 

 daylight this time ! 



On the 17th of February 1921 a tiger killed a 

 specially bred heifer, the result of a half-bred 

 Jersey bull I had acquired to improve the milk- 



