12 Leaves from an Indian Jungle. 



back to the dead tiger. Half ashamed, I found myself 

 looking about the base of the tree in which I had spent the 

 night ; not a mark in the soft soil but those of my men 

 and myself, and in that clear sweet morning light, remem- 

 bering that the odour of a well-fed and lately-fed tiger 

 would be sufficient to account for what had persuaded my 

 nocturnal fears, I caught myself smiling at the strange 

 fancies that will come to a man in the hours of darkness. 

 Leaving the men to skin the tiger, which was one of the 

 largest I have ever seen, I strolled back towards camp, 

 shooting a couple of peafowl en route. The old Koli came 

 with me. I could see he wanted badly to say something, 

 and shortly out it came 



" ' The sahib returned very early/ he said. I assented. 

 A silence. 



" ' Did the sahib keep awake all night ?' 



" The pertinacity of the old man annoyed me unaccount^ 

 ably, and I answered shortly and evasively. 



" * Without doubt/ he replied, 'the sahib is a rajah and 

 I a poor man !' 



4 'Nearer camp he spoke again. 'I will show the sahib some- 

 thing if he will follow me; and he led the way into a tangle 

 of low thorn and scrub; chopping a prickly tendril with his 

 kulhdrt, he dragged aside a mass of creepers, and there lay 

 at our feet a weather-beaten rectangular laterite slab. 



" In its upper surface was cut an oblong depression, in 

 which lay traces of mortar. 



" 'Marble slabs make nice curry-stones,' thought I. 



" 4 What was the sahib's name ? ' I said, seating myself 

 on a boulder. 



" ' How should I know? ' was the reply. ' When I was so 

 big' and the old Koli lowered his skinny hand 'he 

 came here and wounded a tiger that tiger they say ; but 



