BULLET AND SHOT 



there, I was informed that one of my tied buffaloes 

 had been killed on the preceding night, so I made 

 all arrangements for a beat next day. 



There was a commissariat conductor stationed 

 at Hunsur, and the best beaters were men under 

 his control, who had been trained by Colonel M., 

 a commissariat officer who formerly presided over 

 the depot there ; so I asked the former to bring 

 his men, and to come himself on the chance of his 

 getting a shot at the tiger. 



We went to the place and viewed the kill, and 

 I drew lots for posts amongst the guns. S. and B. 

 drew the places on the extreme left and right 

 respectively facing the beat. My post was next 

 to S., while the conductor's was on my other side. 

 We three were placed at only short distances apart, 

 but B.'s post was far away on the right, in an arm 

 of jungle along which the tiger might, it was 

 thought, try to steal away. 



The beat began a long way off, and, for some 

 time, the only sounds audible were the shouts of 

 the beaters, and the tom-tomming and braying of 

 their noisy musical instruments. Then a sambur 

 belled loudly, but did not come on. While the 

 beaters were still at a distance, a single shot rang 

 out from S.'s post, instantly followed by strong 

 tigrine language. I heard a rush in the direction 

 of my ladder as I thought and expected every 

 instant to see the wounded tiger break out in 

 front of me. Nothing showed itself however, 

 and I remained silent, for, from the tracks 

 around the carcass of the buffalo, I was under 



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