TIGERLAND 



The whole line now started in pursuit, so closely packed 

 that no animal could evade it, and soon came up to it 

 lying, badly hit, in a thick patch of cane out of which they 

 tried in vain to drive it. 



Finally, a big tusker elephant was sent in alone, and 

 as it approached the spot where the leopard lay, the latter 

 reared its body up for an instant as if to attack its formidable 

 foe. This so aggravated the huge, but usually good- 

 tempered old tusker, that, rushing quickly forward, it 

 attempted to pound it with its feet ; but the leopard, 

 though evidently sorely hurt, retained sufficient activity 

 to avoid the crushing blows, and, after a short scrimmage, 

 wriggled itself along, and, crawling a yard or two away, 

 crouched down in full view of the howdahs. 



The sportsmen, unable to use their rifles during the 

 tussle, now eagerly seizing this opportunity, fired a volley 

 into the crouching brute, and so ended its murderous and 

 infamous career. Thus died, at last, the terrible Man-Eater, 

 meeting with a death far more honourable than its blood- 

 stained life had merited, and one wholly immeasurable 

 with the many lives he had taken, some of them, in the 

 mere wantonness of its cruel nature. 



The delight of the sportsmen at having at last achieved 

 what they had so long and arduously striven for in vain, 

 may well be imagined, though at the time it was somewhat 

 marred by a doubt as to whether the animal slain was the 

 real Man-Eater or not, a doubt which, in spite of the 

 emphatic asseverations of the now assembled and jubilant 

 villagers, was natural enough considering the number of 

 leopards in the locality, and the marvellous mobility 

 possessed by the one in question. 



The carcass was carefully measured, and proved to be 

 in all respects that of an ordinary male leopard of six feet 

 six inches, and, except for an abnormally large head, 

 and immensely powerful shoulders, somewhat below the 

 average in weight and bulk. The skin was not in the 

 least degree mangy, as is, erroneously, believed to be 

 generally the case with man-eaters, and, when cured, 

 was seven feet nine inches in length, and very handsomely 

 marked. 



To clear up all doubt as to the identity of the animal, 

 80 



