TIGERLAND 



only tended to increase their professional efficiency, for of 

 the many districts I had served in, it was the most criminal 

 of them all ; and, as I have already hinted, kept me well 

 employed. 



The change, then, to a part of the Province still com- 

 paratively primeval, and where I had white men as com- 

 panions, was one I had hailed with delight, and the two 

 years I had now spent there, compared with those imme- 

 diately preceding, had passed only too quickly, for I was 

 now, as I have said, about to sever my connection, not 

 only with this district but with India altogether. 



My successor had already been appointed and was to 

 relieve me very shortly, when one evening, a week before 

 the date fixed for his arrival, a serious case of robbery, with 

 murder, was reported from one of my distant outposts, 

 requiring my immediate presence on the spot. 



Truly " The policeman's lot is not a happy one " was my 

 first reflection on receiving this information as I realized 

 the discomforts the journey would entail ; for here was I, 

 practically on the eve of my departure, my camp kit all 

 disposed of, and the rest of my belongings still waiting to 

 be packed. To add to my vexation, the journey was a long 

 one and through a dense forest which could only be nego- 

 tiated on an elephant, of all riding animals the most tiring 

 for long journeys. However, the case being such an 

 important one, I had no option in the matter, so ordering 

 the two police elephants to be " padded," I decided to start 

 as soon as the moon had risen. 



There was little required in the way of preparation, and 

 a couple of hours later I was well on the way, one elephant 

 carrying my servant, some bedding and a change, the 

 other a light bamboo " howdah " containing myself, and 

 my orderly seated behind me. The latter held my 

 Winchester-repeater, all that was left of my " battery," 

 which, with the rest of my sporting paraphernalia, had 

 already been disposed of. I had brought this rifle with me 

 in case it might be wanted, little thinking at the time the 

 part it was to play in the expedition. 



Meanwhile we were drawing near the forest, which we 

 shortly entered. Here the road ended and for the next 

 fifteen miles or so, there was nothing but a track a narrow 

 256 



