A PERILOUS SITUATION 



having fired the rest at some chinkara which we had come 

 upon before. 



Meanwhile, my small dog-boy, terrified out of his young 

 senses, had closed up to me for protection, and no wonder, 

 considering his years, for the tiger was now growling 

 savagely and biting his injured leg in impotent rage, as 

 wounded tigers often do. 



Presently, he sat up on his haunches, .like a huge dog, 

 and looking in our direction, I knew at once that he had 

 seen us. Drawing himself back, with body arched, ears 

 laid flat, lips drawn up, exposing his long white fangs, and 

 eyes flashing fire, he fixed his gaze upon us. This was 

 certainly one of the most perilous situations I have been 

 in, for truly the beast was an awe-inspiring spectacle, and 

 I felt my heart beating considerably quicker than its wont, 

 as I thought of the light rifle in my hands, and how 

 ineffective it had shown itself to be. 



Still I reserved my fire, expecting every moment that 

 the beast would charge when I intended to blaze into his 

 face, and trust to luck, but presently, and to my intense 

 relief, he stood up, and then, slowly retracing his steps 

 over the rocks, disappeared from view. 



I now sent off the boy to camp to fetch my heavy rifle, 

 and as many men as he could collect. By the time they 

 arrived the sun had almost set, nevertheless, we took up 

 the blood tracks into some high grass where one of the men 

 who had climbed on to a tree called out that he could see 

 the tiger. 



Handing the man my rifle, I climbed up too into the 

 tree, and soon made out the beast in a crouching position 

 and facing in my direction. Taking a steady aim, I fired 

 and shot him through the neck. 



He was a large heavy tiger, measuring nine feet five 

 inches as he lay. My first bullet had struck him in the ribs 

 but being light and expanding, had merely inflicted a 

 surface wound. My second had shattered his forearm, 

 but this would not have prevented him from charging 

 home had I not finished him with the heavy rifle. 



43 



