AUTHOR'S NOTE 



THIS work, to which I have given the title of " Tiger Slayer 

 by Order," as being obviously the most suitable, has been 

 compiled entirely from notes and stories, furnished by Mr. 

 Digby Davies, late a Deputy-Inspector-General of the 

 Indian Police, and contains his own experiences as a Police 

 Officer, and Bhil Agent coupled with the unique office of 

 Tiger Slayer to the Government of Bombay. 



Mr. Digby Davies served for over thirty years in that 

 Presidency, and during this long period had many and 

 exceptional opportunities of indulging his great taste for 

 sport, especially when carrying out his duties as " Tiger 

 Slayer." I have, at his request, endeavoured, with the 

 aid of his notes, to construct a tale or rather, autobio- 

 graphical narration of his adventures and experiences, 

 and in order to do this have necessarily been obliged to 

 make use of the first person throughout. 



To relate another's story is, naturally, more difficult 

 than to tell one's own ; but in this case Mr. Davies' accounts 

 of his adventures are so full, and his descriptions of the 

 appearance and habits of the various animals he 

 encountered given in such detail, that my task has been 

 comparatively easy, and a very pleasant one. 



In my last book " Tigerland " written also in these 

 lines, I was, for reasons given, in the Preface to that work, 

 unfortunately unable to divulge the name of the individual 

 whose experiences I was narrating. Thus, in spite of my 

 explanation, I was undeservedly credited with having 

 experienced the adventures myself. 



In the present instance, however, being under no such 

 restriction, I am glad to be in a position to acknowledge 



b vii 



