A BELGAUM TIGER 53 



Another time in those jungles I wounded and 

 lost a tiger. I followed him up to some big rocks 

 where, from a pool of blood and the marks we saw, 

 I judged he must have lain down. So it was with 

 great caution that we approached, but the noise of 

 our coming must have disturbed him and driven 

 him on again and we lost his tracks. I had a most 

 horrible cold, and fits of sneezing, when the beat 

 was coming along, so probably the tiger heard me 

 and it drove him away, as he gave me a difficult 

 shot though he was within fair range. 



The local shikari, Yellapa, brought in news that 

 a buffalo had been killed and dragged a long distance, 

 and there his murderer had had a good feed; close 

 by was a pool where the tiger had gone to drink. 

 Yellapa said he thought he could locate the tiger; 

 and the jungle he was in was a possible one to beat, 

 but a difficult one. We got seventy beaters and 

 went out. There were not many good trees to 

 which a hammock could be tied, as it required 

 spreading branches to stretch it out. They tied it 

 with the corner ropes all close together, so that it 

 formed a tight sort of bag in which I could neither 

 sit nor stand with any degree of freedom, comfort 

 or steadiness. I felt as if I was in a pill-box with 

 an unsound bottom. 



Three chital deer were beaten close by my tree : 

 one quite nice stag, one with horns in velvet and a 

 hind. There was a long pause after they passed 

 by, then I heard a very soft clap of hands, then 

 very decided clapping on my right, so I had time 

 to screw myself round in my pill-box, which I did 



