DISTURBING A TIGER 



already streaming with perspiration, when I saw 

 something big and dark lying in front of me. I had 

 my revolver ready, and paused waiting for a charge; 

 then, to my intense relief, I found that the object 

 was merely the remains of the dead bullock. I was 

 certain now that the tiger could not be far off, as he 

 was not likely to have abandoned so much freshly- 

 killed meat, so I crawled back into the open again to 

 the game-ranger, who had not expected to see me 

 return alive. 



We quickly arranged a plan of campaign. The 

 game-ranger and his men went round to cut off the 

 animal's retreat from the jungle. They were to 

 stretch nets to keep him from breaking through in 

 the wrong direction and, as soon as I was ready, 

 endeavour to try and drive him back towards me. 



I cleared away the undergrowth close by the dead 

 bullock, literally cutting the tunnel in two, arranged 

 a screen of leaves, set up my camera, gave the signal 

 for the beaters to start, and awaited events. Soon 

 I knew the tiger was coming. Moreover, it was 

 evident that he was in a furious rage at having been 

 disturbed. Just as he got near me he gave one of 

 those terrible coughs which the Indian hunter knows 

 so well, the real danger-sign. I was turning the 

 handle then, and in my moving pictures the brute 

 can be seen looking at the lens and quivering with 

 fury. GrowUng at me, or rather at the spot where 



i8 273 



