196 SHIKAR SKETCHES. 



two village cows in the bed of the river, near 

 the village of Pipulkulti; and, encamping at 

 Watoli, had sent our shikari to " tie up " near 

 Pipulkulti, and also near Amba, a village in the 

 opposite direction, close by which we had a u kill " a 

 week previous. 



6 The news came in early from both directions, 

 nothing from Amba, and " no kill " also from 

 Pipulkulti ; but " Shaikh Boden," our head 

 shikari, who had inspected the latter place, had 

 found fresh tracks, so we determined to try our 

 luck, and started after breakfast with about 

 twenty coolies for a beat. 



' One mile below Pipulkulti the Pen Gunga 

 averages about four hundred yards in breadth, 

 where a larger nullah runs into it from the Berar 

 side. In the bed of the river there are a large 

 number of small, flat islands covered with a de- 

 scription of Cyprus and grass, affording sufficient 

 cover for a tiger to take refuge in. 



4 Shaikh Boden proposed beating diagonally up 

 the bed of the river, and that we should post 

 ourselves half-way down the bank behind some 

 bushes on the up extremity of the cover, the 

 dispositions of the islands, on which was the only 

 cover, being such that the chances were greatly 

 in favour of the tiger being forced within easy 

 range. This plan we agreed to pursue, and were 



