H4 SIR VICTOR BROOKE CHAP. 



No sooner were they at work when, to my astonish- 

 ment, up crept another, and then another young tiger. 

 These mimicked the first two exactly, not a whit less 

 wary because the others had gone first. For a good 

 hour we watched this juvenile party, and not being 

 1 5 yards from the carcase, we had a good view of 

 them. I took out my sketch-book and drew one of 

 them. Every moment we expected the old one, and 

 would not fire. But not yet wait, old boy, wait 

 patiently, your reward will come sure enough. The 

 young cubs left one by one, and about 10.30 down we 

 got from the tree and crept silently away. At two 

 o'clock we were again at our post, and sat till dark, 

 but no tiger came. This was B.'s day ; he won the 

 toss, and had the tiger come, he was to have shot him. 

 To-morrow is mine ! 



Thursday ', i6tk April. At dawn again on our 

 uncomfortable perch, patiently we watched as the slow 

 hours dragged wearily on, but no tiger came. A 

 splendid Neilgherry martin cat passed under the tree 

 we were on ; he was glossy black, about the size of a 

 small fox, with a yellow chest. At ten o'clock we 

 crept away, had breakfast, and bringing the Ingoldsby 

 Legends as a help to pass the weary time, were again 

 in the tree at two o'clock. The stench of the carcase 

 was positively awful, but I was determined that no 

 paltry peccadillo should lose me this tiger ; I was mad 

 with past bad luck, and when I reflected on all priva- 

 tions, disappointments, and hardships I had gone 

 through for a tiger, I determined to do my duty this 

 time. Hour after hour went slowly round, but nothing 

 came to break the monotony. Myriads of beetles 

 kept up a grating noise, something like that made by 

 a fishing reel. The brook at the bottom of the nullah 

 dashed, bubbled, and dashed, and caused such a sleepy 



