^KHUBBUR" OF A TIGER 



This individual on arrival questioned both the rural 

 policeman and khubburriah most closely, but their story 

 was so consistent, and their conviction apparently so 

 strong as to the " kill " being that of a tiger, that we 

 finally decided to send the elephants out at once with 

 howdah and guns in charge of the old Ghoorka, who it was 

 arranged was to make a local investigation, and if from the 

 size of the pugs and other indications he was satisfied 

 that the culprit was a tiger, he was to send me a telegram 

 from the railway station, which, fortunately, was only 

 a mile from the jungle. To save delay, I gave him a form 

 duly filled up and addressed to myself with one word only 

 " Come ! " 



After despatching the elephants on what I thought 

 would be a wild goose chase, I worked myself up to a 

 proper state of resignation, and so successfully, that by 

 the evening I thought I had quite convinced myself that 

 tiger shooting in July was a mistake, and to go out for a 

 whole day in such weather nothing short of madness. 

 With this comforting conviction, I dismissed from my 

 mind all thoughts of the possible tiger, and about 10 p.m. 

 prepared to turn in, quite pleased to think that, as it was 

 now too late for the telegram, I could go to bed com- 

 fortably without any fear of being woke up at some un- 

 earthly hour of the night. However, " L'homme pro- 

 poses, etc.," for I had hardly begun to undress when the 

 telegram arrived, and forgetting in an instant all my good 

 resolutions and convictions, I tore it open, and found, to 

 my inexpressible delight, that one word only " Come ! " 



As the point where the elephants were to meet me was 

 eleven miles off, I ordered a pony to be sent out halfway at 

 two o'clock, and leaving strict injunctions to be called at 

 five myself, turned in, feeling much happier, I must con- 

 fess, than when under the influence of my good resolutions 

 a few minutes before. 



Punctually to the minute a weird-looking figure, clad in 

 white, itself only half awake, was at the bedside apparently 

 endeavouring to make me understand " that it had gone 

 five o'clock, and that the ' little breakfast ' was on the 

 table." It was some minutes before I realized why he 

 was annoying me so persistently at this early hour, but 



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