192 SHIKAR SKETCHES. 



thought the men were attempting to deceive me 

 in order to restore my temper, which had been 

 sorely ruffled by them the day before. They insist- 

 ed that they saw a large tiger and not a panther, 

 as I suggested it might be, and, when it passed 

 out of view, agreed that we should probably come 

 on it again by skirting another spur of the hill. I 

 consented to this, although without placing the 

 slightest faith in what they said. 



4 Presently, however, there was no doubt that 

 they were right, for about five or six hundred 

 yards from us appeared a tiger, a magnificent hill 

 animal. He was quietly crossing a bare and 

 .rocky ridge, evidently looking out keenly for his 

 breakfast, and taking advantage of every inch of 

 cover, much as a cat in a cabbage garden looks 

 out for sparrows. He sank nearly to a crouching 

 position before attempting to top any ridge or 

 hillock, and thus, with all but his head concealed, 

 cautiously surveyed the ground in his front ; to 

 us on his flank he was perfectly visible. It may 

 have been by chance, but, as he was then work- 

 ing, he was able to take as much advantage of 

 the wind as the most scientific deer-stalker could 

 have done. Twice he crouched in a half-sitting, 

 half-recumbent posture, and gazed long and anx- 

 iously over the valley between us at the brow of 

 the spur whereon my two men and I were stretch- 



