TIGER SLAYER BY ORDER 



In the Central Provinces, where I have shot them, they 

 are found in the Sal forests and in the swampy plains, 

 where the long, rank grass affords them both food and cover. 

 Buffaloes are extremely vicious, more so than the bison, 

 and when wounded, invariably charge. 



There is probably no animal in existence so determined, 

 and if followed up when wounded, have a trick of turning 

 off their course, and concealing themselves in some dense 

 bush or high grass, when they will rush unexpectedly on 

 the trackers ; hence are exceedingly dangerous to track up. 



When shooting in the Central Provinces, I was out one 

 morning looking for bara-singi * accompanied by a Ghond 

 shikari, when we came upon the fresh tracks of a solitary 

 bull buffalo. After following the tracks some three miles, 

 the animal suddenly jumped up in front of us out of a 

 patch of high grass in which he had been lying. 



I was carrying a 10-bore rifle by Dixon, with which 

 I fired immediately, aiming at the point of his shoulder. 

 On receiving the shot, he lurched forward and made off into 

 some thick bush, where he disappeared. 



Following the blood trail for about a hundred yards, 

 we came upon him, standing behind a bush about a dozen 

 yards to our front. On seeing us he trotted forward a 

 few paces, and stood there, pawing the ground and looking 

 altogether exceedingly unpleasant. 



I now fired at his chest, bringing him to his knees, but 

 he was up again in a moment, and would probably have 

 charged, but I ran in closer and floored him with a bullet 

 in the neck. He had a very fine pair of horns, and as he 

 lay looked enormous, the neck in particular displaying 

 extraordinary powers. 



A few days after this, my man reported a herd of 

 buffaloes, said to be in an old paddy, or rice field, about 

 three miles off. I went out at once, and eventually 

 succeeded in creeping up to within twenty yards of them. 



The herd consisted of one bull and six cows. Selecting 

 the bull, I fired at him, breaking his shoulder ; but in 

 spite of this, he managed to get away with the others 

 across an open plain ; however, following on the blood 



* Swamp deer, lit. 12-horned. 

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