A Hyrcan Tiger 249 



Then I caught sight of a red head and shoulders 

 in the long grass close to the jungle and about 

 eighty yards below me. There was no time to 

 waste, so I sat down and took the shot, rather 

 a hurried one, at what I could see of the tiger, 

 and seemingly missed. At any rate, without 

 speaking, he took a great bound, and stood 

 looking about broadside on, a fine sight and 

 a rare chance ! I fired again, and he went down 

 like a shot rabbit. I never saw a beast fall 

 apparently deader. All over but the shouting ! 

 Such was my idea, and also that of my companions. 

 Ibrahim patted my back. The erstwhile re- 

 luctant one was, I think, about to fall on my 

 neck. Then I thought, "A tiger I'd better 

 make sure of him." I was sitting down to put 

 the thought into action and give him another 

 shot, when the brute uttered a guttural ex- 

 clamation, and before I could put up my rifle, 

 found his legs and had disappeared in the jungle, 

 tail in the air ! 



I went to the spot, saw the pool of blood 

 where he had lain, the blood - stained bushes 

 through which he had burst, and did the only 

 thing possible under the circumstances, left him 

 till to-morrow. The shikari said if ever he had 

 seen a dead beast it was that tiger : he was 

 willing to wager his twenty tomans we should 



