A TIGER-DRIVE. 211 



The direction that the drive was to take had been 

 decided upon some days before, and a line along 

 which the guns were to be stationed had already 

 been cut through the forest. The line was broad 

 enough to afford a fair shot, and had been more 

 or less cleared of undergrowth and obstacles. For 

 the benefit of those who do not know, I may say 

 that such a line is not, or should not be, a straight 

 one ; for if the guns are all in the same straight 

 line, each man stands an excellent chance of being 

 shot by his neighbours in the excitement of the 

 moment. 



The line should be a succession of V's touching 

 one another: a man standing in the angle of the V 

 can then shoot down both sides with perfect safety. 

 If there is time, and the ground is not unnecessarily 

 disturbed thereby, a double line of V's may be cut 

 back to back so as to form X's; and each gun then 

 commands four lines, and when an animal has crossed 

 the first line often gets an opportunity of another 

 shot at it on the second line. To what extent the 

 knowledge that he and his neighbours can fire in 

 perfect safety improves a man's shooting, only those 

 know who have endured the mental agony of stand- 

 ing in a row of guns where it is not inconceivable 

 that a single bullet may pick off three men. In 

 the zigzag line there is the further great advantage, 

 which makes for good shooting, that an animal is 

 rarely visible to two guns at the same time, and 

 that, therefore, there can be no doubt as to who 

 should fire. 



The party consisted of nine guns six Europeans 



