238 RIFLE AND ROMANCE 



air, stunning and confusing for a couple of seconds, until, 

 elongated and flattened, the form of a tigress grew clear 

 under the banyan tree close to my right front, as she 

 rushed towards me, bellowing, and scattering the dried 

 leaves. Behind her, two little brutes of cubs ; they also 

 in full song! My 12-bore ball-and-shot gun flew to my 

 shoulder. The roaring comet came to a sudden halt. 

 Finger on trigger, I took a few steps backward, then 

 more; reached the edge of the bank; backed down it; and, 

 pursued by the same disgusting outcry, made nimblest 

 time across a mass of boulders in some queer manner 

 managing to watch my rear as I skipped along. Slowing 

 down, I perceived H. making a flank movement in my 

 direction, and joined him on the far bank behind another 

 splendid old banyan tree. The two men were not far off, 

 in a similar position. The roaring having ceased, we 

 ascended our tree, handed up rifles, and reconnoitred. 



The tree from which the tigress had made her demon- 

 stration was now about one hundred and ten yards away, 

 and when I peered through the forked trunk of our refuge, 

 there lay the tigress like a big cat by the fire. She had 

 gone back, and was lying in the shade, close to the gnarled 

 trunk of the banyan, in full view. As the shot was not 

 altogether an easy one, we agreed to wait a little, at least 

 until a steadier hand would give us a better chance ; and 

 so continued to watch the tigress, who every now and then 

 turned her head to look behind her, or to her left, in the 

 direction of our tree. Her cubs she had no doubt sent on 

 before her into the grass. At last, feeling steady, we had 

 almost prepared to fire, when the brute slowly rose to her 

 feet and paced gently forward. Even then the sights were 

 aligned on her shoulder, and the trigger all but pressed, 

 when she turned, and presenting a back view, glided into 

 the long " burroo." About half an hour was now spent in 

 trying to discover her new position, but the difficulties 

 of the ground and cover defeated us, and we turned 



