TIGER SHOOTING IN S. INDIA 



this noise was evidently emitted when he got my 

 wind, and discovered that there was danger between 

 himself and his prey. Of course I never saw him. 



Another time, when watching, I heard a tiger 

 roar more than once and not far off, but he did not 

 appear within sight of my mechan. My impression 

 when I heard him roaring was that he was calling 

 up a friend to the feast, but, as no tiger appeared, it 

 may have been another mode of relieving his feel- 

 ings on winding danger in place of the " Harrrh ! " 

 which I heard so distinctly from the nullah behind 

 me, as just related. 



I always made myself comfortable when watching, 

 and, being a heavy smoker, I always smoke. As 

 recommended by the late Mr. Sanderson, a mattress 

 and pillows and a book should be taken up on 

 to the mechan, and as I invariably drank soda- 

 water, and not plain water, when in the jungles, 

 I always took the precaution of opening a couple 

 of bottles before beginning my vigil. 



The mechan must be built long enough for a man 

 to lie comfortably at full length upon it, and no 

 plaited bamboo should be placed over the poles 

 composing it, owing to the liability of the latter to 

 creak upon the smallest motion being made. 



Once the men who have accompanied the sports- 

 man to his post have been sent away (they ought to 

 retire talking loudly as they go) there must be no 

 audible sound. I have always, in mechan shooting, 

 sat alone, for fear of a native attendant moving, 

 coughing, or otherwise emitting noises calculated to 

 spoil sport if intruded at the critical moment (and 



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