TIGER-SHOOTING. 173 



three tigers. We c tied out ' as usual, but there 

 was no ' kill ' by eleven o'clock in the morning. 

 However, about three p.m. one of our men 

 came in with the news that one of our ' hailas ' had 

 been killed at a spot about two miles oif. Hastily 

 collecting some thirty beaters we sallied forth, but 

 it was nearly 4.30 p.m. before we could commence 

 operations. This, coupled with the difficult nature 

 of the ground, was all in favour of the tigers ; as 

 by then the atmosphere had become cooler, and 

 therefore the tigers would have less hesitation in 

 facing the open. There was very little cover with 

 the exception of a couple of small nullahs, which 

 after tortuous course united in a larger one. 

 Hebbert was placed on the right facing the beaters 

 as they advanced, and about one hundred yards 

 out in the open jungle, whilst my post was at the 

 junction of the two nullahs, and Davidson was 

 some fifty yards to my left. Almost at the first 

 shout of the beaters, two tigers broke, and passed 

 some one hundred and fifty yards to the right of 

 Hebbert, who wisely did not fire. It looked rather 

 hopeless to try and get a shot at them at such a 

 late hour of the evening, but Lutchman, our second 

 shikari, who was conducting the beat, was very 

 anxious we should go after them, as he said some 

 little distance ahead there was a nullah where they 

 would probably lie up. Accordingly we acceded to 



