BULLET AND SHOT 



Naganipur by road, but only about ten miles dis- 

 tant across country. I therefore decided to march 

 through the jungle, with my requirements for three 

 days carried by coolies, and as I should have no 

 time for shooting, took only my '500 express rifle 

 with but six cartridges. 



On my way to Maddur, I rode through two or 

 three villages, which, from their position, must, I 

 imagined, suffer occasionally from the big striped 

 cat's partiality to beef; but in answer to my 

 inquiries in each, I received the same reply, 

 viz., that there had not been a " kill " for months. 

 I did not believe the villagers, but promised them 

 a present if, in consequence of information received 

 from any of them, I should bag a tiger, and pro- 

 ceeded to Maddur which I reached in the evening. 



The next day I had a long day's work in the 

 timber depot, and I also arranged to inspect 

 another wood-yard seven miles off on the fol- 

 lowing day. That evening, just after I had 

 sat down to dinner, information was brought me 

 that a tiger had killed a buffalo at a village about 

 three miles off. 



As I had to go to a place seven miles distant 

 on the next day, and also to inspect there, I was 

 obliged to entrust a Mahomedan peon with the 

 arrangements. I directed him to go to the spot 

 and to put up a mechan, taking care, however, 

 that the wind should not blow from it towards the 

 direction in which the tiger's advance might be 

 expected. 



Next morning early I rode out, did my work, 



148 



