A -KILL" ACCIDENTALLY DISCOVERED 



that day forth his feeling of contempt for the little rifle 

 changed to profound respect and admiration. 



But little did we think its present performance was so 

 soon to be eclipsed by another of still greater magnitude. 

 I was naturally much pleased with the little rifle, for apart 

 from the effects of the shot, I felt sure I could not, under 

 the circumstances, have made so good a one with a heavier 

 weapon, and was, therefore, more than ever determined 

 to try it at tiger on the first opportunity, and this came 

 sooner than I expected. Our work being over, we had no 

 excuse for prolonging our stay, and accordingly started 

 early the next day for a village some fifteen miles distant. 

 As the march was to be almost entirely through forest, 

 we determined to move in line, with the baggage as equally 

 distributed, and as securely packed as possible on the 

 beater elephants. About 12.30, having accomplished about 

 half our journey, we halted for lunch under the shade of 

 a grove of trees outside the forest, and while discussing it 

 the elephants were ordered to go into the jungles and pick 

 up what they could in the way of lunch for themselves. 

 They had been gone some little time when we saw the small 

 one hurrying towards us as hard as its little legs could 

 carry it, with its driver urging it on, gesticulating violently 

 all the time and appearing much excited. We walked 

 forward to meet him, and were informed that hunting 

 about inside a small strip of scrub close to the forest they 

 had suddenly come upon the carcass of an enormous 

 bullock, evidently just killed, and only a very small portion 

 of it eaten, lying in a patch of small but very dense grass 

 close to the river bank, and that from the behaviour of 

 the elephant, the animal, which was probably a tiger, 

 judging from the size of the bullock killed, was evidently 

 close by. 



We lost no time in getting the elephants together, and 



proceeded quietly towards the place indicated, and H 



and I and the two " shikaris," leaving the elephants some 

 little distance off, got down and walked cautiously towards 

 the spot where, sure enough, lay the body of a huge bullock, 

 almost warm, and beside it, on some soft clay, were the 

 pugs of a tiger perfectly fresh. There was no reason for 

 further search, so, retiring as carefully as we had approached, 



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