INDIAN REMINISCENCES 59 



several bears and deer, but I came to the conclusion 

 that tiger shooting was an indifferent form of sport. 

 The best part of the fun was tracking the tiger to 

 his lair and marking him down. This is done by 

 the native shikarees. I usually accompanied them, 

 and most fascinatino- it was to watch them following 

 a track in difficult ground, such as the dry bed of 

 a river, where perhaps the displacement of a pebble 

 here and there was the only sign of an animal hav- 

 ing been on the move. Once the tiger is marked 

 down, positions are taken up by the guns and the 

 drive begins. We had the use of four elephants, 

 and these used as beaters were enouMi as a rule to 

 cause the tiger to break ; if the guns were well 

 placed it was seldom that we did not account for 

 the orame. 



On one occasion a tiger broke back without 

 having a shot fired at her, and the guns were 

 immediately mounted on the elephants and we 

 went on in pursuit. The jungle was very sparse 

 and bare, and two or three times we got a view. 

 Eventually she was bagged, when we found that 

 the thick coating of skin on the pads of her feet 

 had blistered and peeled off and the wretched 

 animal must have been for some time in intense 

 pain. We also ascertained that it was only a 

 matter of days before she was due to lay up with 

 cubs. It is such unfortunate incidents that happen 



