iv WAITING FOR A TIGER 77 



such a manner that Brooke could not bring his rifle to 

 bear upon him. On another occasion a bullock had 

 been killed by a tiger, and over it 



I climbed into a very thick tree, where a few sticks 

 had been arranged for me to sit on. Settling 

 myself in a position that I could shoot from, and 

 remain a long time in, I made the village shikaree 

 climb up, and another man came too. After sitting 

 about an hour, some children, just outside the jungle, 

 began to play and make a noise. Knowing that it 

 was worse than useless expecting a tiger to come 

 while this noise was going on, I sent the second 

 shikaree to stop them. He did so, but did not 

 return. Now the real watching began ; all was as 

 still and quiet as one could wish ; no sound but the 

 leaves dropping, and the notes of different birds (as 

 yet, I am sorry to say, unknown to me) was to be 

 heard. Any moment he might come. It is most 

 exciting work, that waiting for a tiger. The animal 

 himself comes so noiselessly that you do not know 

 which turn of the head, as you keep gazing round, 

 may be surprised by his glorious form. It was two 

 o'clock, the hottest time of the day, when we first 

 went. Five o'clock is the most likely hour ; five 

 came, passed, and still no tiger. I was beginning to 

 give him up, when the shikaree, who was sitting 

 lower down, touched me. Bagh (tiger), whispered 

 I ; he nodded. I looked in all directions, but could 

 not make him out, and was beginning to fancy he 

 had not seen the tiger, but that, thinking I had given 

 up hope, he meant to put me on the watch. About 

 five minutes elapsed ; it was getting very dark, very 

 quickly, when straight before me, through the leaves 

 of the thick tree I was sitting in, I saw the tail of a 

 tiger. It was moving ; in a second more the whole 



