6 FIRST TIGERS 



shoulder and pulled. He roared, stood straight up 

 on his hind-legs, and began to box with his fore- 

 legs. It was a grand sight. He then fell back and 

 died, poor old boy ! I was just getting down 

 from the machdn, and the beaters were beginning 

 to gather together in the open, when the second 

 tiger, of which no one knew anything, dashed out 

 with a roar, her tail lashing right and left and her 

 mouth wide open. She seemed to be in a vile 

 temper and inclined to charge the machdn, up 

 which a native was trying to climb, but swerved. 

 I gave her a shot and caught her behind the 

 shoulder. She roared, sprang into the air and 

 went a regular header into a thick bush, and then 

 died. 



It has been a most exciting and successful New 

 Year's Day, and I shall return to Calcutta to- 

 morrow a happier man. I was the only one who 

 got a chance, and I think I may say that I have 

 not thrown it away. But I got the chance chiefly 

 owing to the unselfishness of my companions, who 

 insisted on giving me the best place and the first 

 shots. 



Many, many men are years in India without 

 ever seeing a tiger, and I have got two already. 

 The natives were delighted and the Gurkhas nearly 

 beside themselves. They are very keen sports- 

 men. The bandobast that is, the whole thing- 

 was admirably arranged. So far as I can make 

 out, I am none the worse for it, and I think it is 

 worth running some risk of fever to get a couple of 

 tigers. But it is a feverish place, and one might 

 come once too often. 



I enjoyed all the bird life and the absolutely 



