198 SHIKAR SKETCHES. 



turned into a charge, and in a few seconds the 

 tigress had picked out a fine young cow, on whose 

 back she sprang, and they both rolled over in a 

 heap. When the two animals were still again, we 

 could distinctly see the cow standing up with her 

 neck embraced by the tigress, who was evidently 

 sucking her jugular; the poor cow made a few 

 feeble efforts to release herself, which the tigress 

 resented by breaking her neck ! 



' The remainder of the herd, some twenty in 

 number, after rushing wildly away, now returned 

 to within fifty yards of the tigress, who was silent- 

 ly slaking her thirst off the cow, and stood look- 

 ing on, huddled up together, at the unexpected 

 arrangement ; finding, after a few minutes' survey, 

 that the animal embracing the cow was probably 

 a dangerous one, they scuttled up the south bank 

 and commenced grazing immediately. 



' Our first idea was to go down and try to stalk 

 the tigress whilst still on the slaughtered animal, 

 but Shaikh Boden recommended sitting still, as 

 the ground was unfavourable, and we should 

 certainly frighten her away before we could get 

 within shot, even supposing she remained on the 

 cow long enough to allow us time to walk round ; 

 so we sat quiet, and had the satisfaction, in 

 a few minutes, of seeing the tigress leave her 

 prey, and move slowly away. Creeping round the 



