TIGERLAND 



the slightest movement or catch the faintest sound of any 

 animal in front. 



But alas ! though perhaps fortunately for us, there 

 were no signs of the rogue, nor till we were more than half- 

 way through, of anything endowed with life, when suddenly 

 up rose some monstrous beast almost under my feet ! A 

 rhinoceros, we concluded, from its size and headlong 

 flight, but could not be sure, for nothing smaller than an 

 elephant was to be distinguished in that grass. 



A minute or two later there was another disturbance 

 of the grass, further to our front, a slow, sinuous kind of 

 movement as of some animal moving stealthily away. At 

 the same moment I heard the old " shikari " call out " bagh," 

 then two shots fired in quick succession followed by a roar 

 proving the old man to be right ; half threatening, half 

 defiant and wholly terrifying in its volume and ferocity, 

 there was no mistaking that awe-inspiring sound. 



For it was in truth a tiger we had roused, and from its 

 speaking to the shots we hoped that it was hit. Advancing 

 the two flanks to form a semicircle, we pressed forward as 

 rapidy as the jungle would permit, with a view to surround- 

 ing the beast, if wounded, and cutting it off from the 

 forest beyond ; but, alas, we were again to be disappointed, 

 for as we came upon the track it had made we could find 

 no trace of blood on the grass. 



We now learnt that it was the Forest Officer who had 

 fired, but, as he admitted, merely at a venture, seeing the 

 top of the grass shaking with the movement of the animal 

 some twelve feet below, he had guessed at its position and 

 fired on the chance of his shots taking effect, but, as might 

 be expected, had evidently missed. However, we followed 

 up the trail to where it entered the forest ; then, most 

 reluctantly, abandoned the pursuit. 



Resuming our original formation, we now proceeded on 

 our way, and boring through the forest for some hours as 

 before, finally reached a comparatively treeless little glade, 

 where, as the light was now diminishing, we decided to 

 halt for the night. The preparation of our camp we en- 

 trusted to Dhundhos, whom we knew from past experience 

 to be an adept at this business, and he proved so again. 



No sooner were the elephants unloaded and divested 

 108 



