TIGERLAND 



I could see from the expression of his face that he meant 

 mischief, and was preparing to give him, or rather her 

 for she proved to be a tigress as warm a reception as I 

 could, when, quick as thought, she crouched down for a 

 spring, as she got about fifteen yards from me. My position 

 was now an exceedingly unpleasant one, for the tigress 

 was by this time somewhat to the rear of my right, so to 

 face her, I had to twist my body right round the tree 

 and put the whole of my weight on to my left arm, which 

 strained the muscles to such an extent that I feared cramp 

 would set in. 



Moreover, as the ground sloped from the edge of the 

 grass to the bank, over which I was, so to speak, suspended, 

 the tigress was considerably above my level. The only 

 advantage of this position was that it gave me a clear view 

 of her chest and throat. However, there was not much 

 time to think, for the moment she crouched I felt I must 

 either fire or follow the example of the " shikari" boy. 



But it was too late to do that now. The tigress would 

 be on to me before I could reach the bed of the " nullah," 

 so, bringing my left arm still further round the tree, I 

 raised the rifle to my shoulder and, aiming for the throat, 

 fired in the hope of killing her instantaneously this being, 

 I considered, my only chance. For a moment the smoke 

 obstructed my view, but as it cleared I saw, amidst a cloud 

 of leaves and dust, a paw raised in the air, and imme- 

 diately afterwards the body of the tigress whether dead 

 or alive I could not tell rolling down towards me. 



To remain where I was, therefore, was but to court 

 certain death, or at best a severe mauling, for in the direc- 

 tion she was rolling nothing could prevent her coming 

 right on to me, when, if still alive, her natural impulse, 

 setting malice aside, would be to clutch me, if only to 

 arrest her fall. Thinking, therefore, that discretion in an 

 emergency of this kind was decidedly the better part of 

 valour, I let go my hold of the tree and slipped down into 

 the " nullah," where I fortunately landed on my feet. 



I now ran as fast as I could along the bed, and round 

 the bend, where I joined the doctor and " shikari " boy, who 

 had taken refuge with him, and inserting a fresh cartridge 

 at once, awaited in this comparatively secure position, the 

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