64 Lloyd's natural history. 



aforementioned, and as, instead of bolting, he retained his 

 position, I had to run back. The sentry, a Ghoorka, was in 

 the enclosed portico, but as it was raised some six feet above 

 the beast's lair, he could not see him. With the inherent pluck 

 of his race, however, and heedless of the sin of leaving his 

 post, he accompanied me to the gate from which the animal 

 could be plainly detected in the same position ; resting his 

 piece on the coping, and drawing as fine a bead as the uncer- 

 tain light admitted, the man let fly. A tremendous howl 

 followed, and the wounded beast scuttled off down the very 

 road I had to go. The party residing at the Mess had come 

 out at the report of the sentry's rifle and endeavoured to dis- 

 suade me from leaving, but I lighted a torch and sallied forth 

 on my walk of barely 400 yards, waving the torch round and 

 round, thus keeping it in full glow. Nothing occurred on the 

 road, but as I turned into the gateway I almost fell over the 

 prostrate body of the wounded animal, who, as he lay in the 

 \:M mortal throes right in the path, was qui'e capable of mis- 

 chief had I got within his reach. Hastily jumping aside I 

 gained the door and so was safe. The next morning we ex- 

 amined the dead creature, whose lungs were torn to shreds, the 

 bullet lodging in the left hind-leg, yet he had run the above 

 distance in that condition— another instance of the vitality of 

 the Cat-tribe. 



" As before said, this house, or rather its environs, was in- 

 fested by Tigers, and during a residence of nine months, 

 though we caught sight of seven, certainly no dark night 

 passed without unmistakable evidence in the morning of the 

 premises having been visited. Only once did the occupant 

 succeed in bagging an animal from the house ; and then only 

 after three previous failures. Twice the visitor put in an ap- 

 pearance at dawn on some rocks well within range, but on 

 both occasions the opening of a door, though the hinges had 



