TIGERLAND 



had been too much for him, so he had made his meal upon 

 the spot. He had apparently just moved off on hearing me 

 approach, as I had heard the jungle rustling as I came up. 

 I had a " machan " hastily constructed on the nearest tree 

 that I could find, and posting a man on it to prevent 

 the " kill " being taken by the coolies, went off to my 

 work. 



I returned about 6 P.M. with my rifle, and sending the 

 man away, climbed up into his place, determined, if 

 necessary, to stay there all night, for I was sure the beast 

 would come back to the " kill," and as the moon would be 

 up later on, I had every prospect of a shot. 



I had sat watching for about half an hour, when a 

 couple of pigeons started up suddenly from the grass in 

 front of me, evidently alarmed by something they had seen 

 or heard, and immediately afterwards I fancied I could 

 hear a slight movement in the jungle to my left. I looked 

 in the direction from whence the sound proceeded, but 

 could see nothing for a time, though I could still hear 

 the rustling in the jungle as of some animal creeping 

 stealthily through it. 



I felt sure it was the panther, and I was right, for a 

 moment or two later I caught a glimpse of something 

 yellow, gliding swiftly through the jungle. 



There was a small bit of open lying directly in its 

 path, and, thinking to get a shot there, I waited till it should 

 reach it. It was a mere gap, scarcely three feet wide, and 

 so quickly and silently did the beast approach it that he 

 was almost through before I had time to cock the rifle. 



Fortunately, in the excitement of the moment I raised 

 the hammer quickly, omitting to ease the springs, and at 

 the click of the lock the animal stopped suddenly, leaving 

 its hind-quarters still exposed to view. 



My rifle was already at the shoulder, and, swinging the 

 muzzle forward, I fired, hoping to get him through the 

 lungs. I knew that I had hit him, for he turned at the 

 shot, and, with a roar of agony or rage, attempted to come 

 at me. I now gave him the left barrel, on which he plunged 

 back into the jungle, where I could hear him roaring and 

 tumbling about with the tip of his tail waving in the air. 

 This commotion continued for some time, for I heard him 

 72 



