TIGERLAND 



persuaded myself, that our luck was about to take a turn 

 for the better. The night passed, however, without a call 

 or cry of any kind to indicate the presence of any game. 



The " shikari," too, had been alert all night, but had 

 heard nothing. However, I kept this information or rather 

 want of any to myself, and assuming as cheerful a manner 

 as I could, we started out as usual, on what I fully believed 

 would be another weary round ending in a blank. 



I had decided on beating a jungle we had hitherto left 

 untouched, which ran along the banks of a dry " nullah " 

 or watercourse. To understand clearly what follows, it is 

 necessary to explain that the " nullah " itself was what in 

 the rainy season would be a rushing torrent from twenty to 

 thirty feet broad, with almost perpendicular banks rising 

 to a height of some twenty feet. 



On one of these banks was the jungle I had decided to 

 beat. The shape of it, however, owing to the configuration 

 of the bank, made it an extremely difficult one to beat, so 

 before putting in the beaters I took the " shikari " and, 

 walking along the dry bed of the stream, saw that at a bend 

 about the centre of the jungle there was an open gap some 

 fifteen feet wide, and almost opposite this spot, about 150 

 yards from it, was a natural pass, which any animal driven 

 out by the beaters would be likely to make for. 



I also found that the jungle, though continuing again 

 after the gap, did not extend to more than two hundred 

 yards, and ended at this pass. It was obvious, therefore, 

 that the pass was the best place I could occupy ; but this 

 was easier said than done, for the banks on either side of 

 it were very steep, and after examining it thoroughly I 

 found the only way I could take up my position was by 

 clinging round a tree, which stood about three-fourths of the 

 way up, with my left arm, and digging my toes into the soft 

 clay of the bank a most uncomfortable position, but good 

 enough, I thought, for so large a target as a " sambhur." 



Behind this place, on the opposite bank of the nullah, 

 was another favourable spot, commanding the end of the 

 jungle to my right. This being the safer and more com- 

 fortable position of the two, I placed the doctor here, 

 telling him to shoot to his right and left only, as I was to 

 his direct front. 

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