70 THE FOREST AND THE FIELD. 



coming impatient began to grumble, which noise 

 attracted his attention, and he was off with a 

 bound, when I let fly at his shoulder, and rolled 

 him over for the moment ; but he soon got on his 

 feet again, and scrambled ofi", notwithstanding I 

 gave him my second barrel, which I fancy must 

 have missed, for he paid no more attention to it 

 than if I had spat at him. It was, however, a 

 splendid sight to see him advance. Without the 

 slightest noise, onward he came with a slow and 

 measured pace, turning his head and rolling his 

 eyes in all directions. If a dry branch cracked, 

 or a leaf rustled as he walked, he stopped, and 

 looked anxiously round. For a moment he stood 

 half-concealed behind a bush, and peered all round, 

 then he began to purr loudly, and at last ap- 

 proached the carcass, near which a couple of 

 jackals and half-a-dozen vultures were sitting, not 

 daring to meddle with it, as they must have been 

 aware of his presence. Then the jackals slunk 

 away howling, whilst the vultures flew round in 

 circles, uttering angry screams, and the tiger, with 

 a fierce growl as if indignant that his prey should 



