TIGER 313 



say, until they lead into some likely patch of jungle 

 thick enough to hold a tiger when he lies up during 

 the heat of the day. If by chance the hunters come 

 across " a kill," i.e. generally a young tame buffalo 

 which the tiger has killed and partly eaten during the 

 night before, he is certain to lie up pretty near if he 

 has not been disturbed. An experienced shikari will 

 be able, by the nature of the jungle in the vicinity, 

 to say pretty accurately where he lies. Having 

 identified his beast he returns to camp, and when 

 the sun is well up the line of elephants is taken out 

 and the beat commences. The beat is composed of 

 " howdah " riding elephants for the shooters and 

 " pad " elephants for the beaters. On arrival on the 

 ground to be beaten, the guns are placed by the 

 leader. Some are sent forward to head the beat, 

 the rest remain in the line, which is arranged with 

 guns at intervals of the line, with pad elephants 

 between them. Tigers vary much in their "behaviour. 

 Sometimes they lie close in the grass and almost allow 

 elephants to tread on them, and sometimes they will 

 go right ahead of the beat from its commencement. 



There is something very solemn and impressive 

 about a tiger-beat. There is a long line of black 

 backs, the elephants moving at a funereal pace. Not 

 a sound is heard but the swish of the grass as their 

 huge carcases brush along. At intervals down the 

 line the sportsman stands up in his howdah, looking 

 for all the world like a parson in a pulpit, except 

 that he has a rifle in his hand instead of a sermon. 

 Every one is on the tiptoe of expectation, including 



