i86 DIARY OF A SPORTSMAN NATURALIST 



much before dusk. The shikari esconced himself higher up 

 the tree and we waited in silence. Very soon afterwards a 

 pattering over the stones announced an arrival and two 

 chital stags came along the run and passed close by us — 

 one carrying a fine head. One always sees the best heads 

 when trying for lordlier game ! They disappeared in the 

 direction of the water and were shortly followed by some 

 sambhar, all does. These went by in Indian file, meandering 

 slowly along with heads held low, nosing here and there for 

 a tuft of grass and wandering off the track for a few yards 

 in an erratic fashion. Half an hour passed. A faint patter- 

 ing some way out and three pea-fowl were crossing the 

 nullah for their evening drink, every now and then halting 

 and craning their necks about on the look-out for danger. 

 A most wary bird is this fowl. Then silence for a time. The 

 eastern sky was now reflecting the gorgeous colouring of the 

 west, where the sun was setting, and I realized that the 

 daylight would be shortly struggling with the hght from 

 the rapidly rising moon. Suddenly I caught a faint sound, 

 half gurgle, half hum. It ceased. Then I heard it again a 

 little more definite, but still some way off. I had heard it 

 before and thought I recognized it. I caught the faintest 

 whisper behind me. " Tiger, sahib. It's the tiger." 

 I nodded and waited in suspense. Which way would he 

 come ? There was, of course, no certainty of his passing 

 my tree. He did so often as the pugs showed, but he had 

 other runs to go by as was evidenced by our not having seen 

 him on the previous occasions. Again the noise, now 

 nearer and sounding like a fretful half whine, half growl. 

 He was evidently approaching in our direction. I looked 

 round. Objects were still quite distinct, but the night was 

 falHng and there is httle twilight to depend on in these 

 regions. And the struggle between day and moonlight 

 always produces, at least to my eyes, a more or less indistinct 

 compound of the two, if I may so express it. Quite suddenly 

 the noise sounded loud and distinct. The tiger was on the 

 edge of the forest standing probably just within the fringe 

 of grass on the edge of the nullah and surveying the broad 

 expanse of stones and tufts of grass in front of him. Tigers, 

 like other jungle denizens, are ever suspicious of the open 

 and scan such places narrowly before they venture out into 

 them. Another low growl and then dead silence. I fixed 

 my eyes on the httle run. Would he come or would instinct 



