I AM MAULED BY A TIGRESS 



examining the ground, when we were startled by a deafening 

 roar, instantly followed by the tigress who came charging 

 down the bank, and at such speed that her belly almost 

 touched the ground. 



Stepping forward, clear of some bushes, I had barely 

 time to aim, but succeeded in getting off both barrels of 

 my rifle right into her face, which then was hardly three 

 paces from me. However, she managed to get home, and 

 the next moment I was on my back with the tigress standing 

 over me growling savagely. 



I remembered nothing more, but on coming to found 

 myself surrounded by Bhils and my late antagonist lying 

 dead at my feet a fine, heavy beast with a rich dark skin. 

 I now learnt that on the tigress seizing me, Bapu had most 

 pluckily run in and shot her through the head, all this 

 having been the work of a few seconds. 



My chest and arms were badly clawed and bitten, but 

 the wounds were not so serious as they might have been, 

 thanks to the crippled condition of the tigress, whose 

 lower jaw had been literally blown to pieces by my shots, 

 and to the cool and plucky Bapu, who with great presence 

 of mind had shot her before she could do me further 

 mischief. 



The men now bandaged me up with strips torn off their 

 clothing, and making a litter of boughs, carried me back 

 to camp, distant some eight miles, where I had my wounds 

 attended to by the native apothecary in charge of the 

 Pansembal Dispensary. Eventually, under the skilful 



treatment of Colonel B , Civil Surgeon of Dhulia, I 



recovered entirely from my wounds. 



The rifle I had been using was a '450 Express, carrying 



a light hollow bullet, lent me by my poor friend G of 



the Forest Department, who was afterwards killed by a 

 tiger. This bullet being so hollow had completely broken 

 up. Had I had my Rigby, which was unfortunately in 

 the hands of the gun-maker at the time, I am confident 

 its long heavy bullet would have stopped the tigress, 

 possibly killed her instantaneously, as on examining the 

 skull, I found both my shots had struck her fairly between 

 the nostrils, from which there is a clear passage to the 

 brain. 



41 



