TIGERLAND 



formidable array of lowered heads and pointed horns 

 against which no soft- skinned animal like a tiger could 

 possibly prevail, nor did they attempt to, but, growling 

 savagely the w T hile, confined their attentions to the two 

 they had killed. At this stage of the proceedings, however, 

 the sportsman's natural longing to fire at the tigers, which 

 I had hitherto controlled, proved too strong for me, and 

 although the animals were almost out of range, I foolishly 

 yielded, firing at the larger animal of the two. I saw the 

 bullet strike the ground some twenty feet in front of it, 

 and the second shot only tended to convince me of my 

 folly, for following so closely on the other it completely 

 scared the tigers, as I could tell from their making off at 

 a gallop crashing noisily through the jungle instead of 

 in their usual noiseless, stealthy manner. 



" That is the last I shall see of them," was my melan- 

 choly reflection as they disappeared into the cover. How- 

 ever, there was some consolation in the thought that I 

 had seen a sight few sportsmen have ever had the luck 

 to witness. Half an hour later my elephant arrived in 

 answer to the firing, and clambering on to the pad from my 

 perch we started for the camp. 



Our route lay through the glade, and as we passed the 

 carcasses of the two buffalo, the " mahout," who, like most 

 of his kind, was something of a sportsman, suggested 

 that I should sit up over them that night on a tree which 

 happened to be close by. But I was evidently fated to 

 do nothing right that day, for as the sequel will show 

 had I taken his advice I might probably have added both 

 these tigers to my list. But feeling tired and disgusted 

 with the ill luck that had pursued me all day, and convinced, 

 moreover, that after being fired at so recently, the tigers 

 would not return that night, I refused, and on arriving 

 at the camp, found some important work awaiting me which 

 fully occupied my time and thoughts till past midnight. 

 Next morning, however, while at breakfast, I was informed 

 that one of the headmen of the village wished to see me. 

 He proved to be the owner of the herd on which the tigers 

 had levied toll, and had a curious and interesting although 

 to me somewhat tantalising experience to relate. 



It appeared that hearing of the occurrence from my 

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