RISKS IN BIG-GAME SHOOTING 51 



tiger, and small blame to them. On the other 

 hand, if the tiger is dead, he will be curled up in 

 some very thick patch of jungle and will in due 

 course be eaten by jackals, rats, and vultures. 



I am terribly disappointed. He was a grand 

 tiger, and I did all I possibly could. It is a wonder 

 I hit him at all, as I was too stiff to turn, and 

 rifle-shooting from the left shoulder is extra- 

 ordinarily difficult. I would give anything to have 

 got that tiger. 



I do not suppose the performance did my leg any 

 good, but unless a man is willing to take risks, and 

 at times big ones, it is not a bit of use his attempt- 

 ing to shoot big game. Of course, in the case 

 of princely personalities such as Viceroys and 

 Governors, the risk is reduced to vanishing-point 

 and discomfort to non-existence ; but if one wants 

 to shoot big game in real sporting fashion, both 

 risk and discomfort have to be faced, and that is 

 the long and short of it. I do it deliberately 

 and enjoy it, although I am much too old. In 

 India very few men go on shooting big game 

 after fifty, except on elephants, and they are wise 

 in their generation. I have had to begin at fifty- 

 nine, and am greatly handicapped in consequence, 

 but I " just love it," as women say. 



I was tossed on the 2ist and Meyer was very 

 anxious to get me to a doctor, but I felt sure rest 

 and quiet were all I required, and nowhere could 

 I get that better than on the launch, so we anchored 

 in a lovely bay formed by three islands ideal 

 isles: palms, pampas-grass and peepul-trees, a 

 glorious sun and a fresh, healthy breeze. We 

 remained there till after Christmas Day. The 



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