168 SHIKAR SKETCHES. 



the tiger crossing backwards and forwards from 

 one bank of the river to the other ; but always 

 out of shot. The third day we beat for a long 

 time but did not succeed in finding him till late 

 in the day, when he promptly took himself off to 

 some adjoining hills and we saw no more of him. 

 We then gave him up, and moved on to fresh 

 ground. On our return journey, some three weeks 

 after, we again heard of this tiger, and had 

 another try for him, when he kindly disposed of 

 two more calves for us, one being killed in broad 

 daylight under our eyes, as he was making one of 

 his dodgy trips across the river. As usual he 

 beat us ; but the following day I was fortunate 

 enough to get a shot at him, and bag him. He 

 was a very old, light-coloured tiger, and with the 

 black stripes faintly marked ; his skin had several 

 long scars only half healed over, the wounds 

 inflicted evidently by some other tiger with whom 

 he had had a slight difference of opinion. He 

 measured nine feet two inches before being 

 skinned. We certainly were satisfied at getting 

 him, as he had cost us five calves, and given us 

 five days' beating. 



That tigers do fight, and that occasionally the 

 victor eats the vanquished, is a well-known fact. 

 A friend of mine, a distinguished general officer,* 



* Major- General W. C. Anderson, C.S.I. 



