258 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTBAL INDIA. 



approaching his " kill," and the shikaris being usually such 

 bunglers at their work as to disturb him by the noise of their 

 preparations. Often he misses when he does shoot, the jungle- 

 king being somewhat trying to the nerves ; and if he kills one 

 tiger in the course of the year he considers himself lucky. 

 His weapon is a long matchlock, which he loads with six 

 " fingers " of powder and two bullets. These fly a little apart, 

 and if they hit are usually the death of the tiger. His 

 method of shooting is sometimes imitated by lazy European 

 sportsmen. 



Another way of hunting ordinary tigers is to beat them out 

 of their mid-day retreat with a strong gang of beaters, sup- 

 plied with drums, fireworks, etc., the guns themselves being 

 posted at likely spots ahead. This plan is often successful, 

 when the operations are directed by someone who knows the 

 ground. Frequently, however, the tiger is not found at all, 

 and b moreover he very commonly manages to escape at the 

 sides, or break back through the beat, without coining up to 

 the guns at all. It has also the disadvantage of exposing the 

 beaters to much danger ; and there are few who shoot in this 

 fashion who have not had more than one beater killed before 

 them. To stalk in on a tiger in his retreat on foot is generally 

 impracticable, as a man commands so little of a view in thick 

 cover that he rarely sees the tiger in time for a shot. In some 

 places, however, where tigers lie in rocky places inaccessible to 

 elephants, this is the only way to do ; and a very certain one 

 it then is, there being generally little cover and plenty of 

 commanding elevations whence to see and shoot. The best 

 way of hunting the tiger is undoubtedly that usually adopted in 

 Central India namely to bring in the aid of the trained 

 elephant, and follow and shoot him in his mid-day retreat. 

 Anyone who thinks he has only got to mount himself on the 



