BULLET AND SHOT 



occasion. The men told me that one of us ought 

 to be posted at the extreme end of the long, irregu- 

 lar tongue of plantation, bounded by the river on 

 one side, and a deep nullah on the other, which was 

 to be driven, and the second gun at one side, only 

 about half-way between the road and the junction of 

 the nullah wfth the river. I had but a single shoot- 

 ing ladder out with me, and this had been posted 

 at the end of the plantation. I gave G. his choice 

 between these two posts, and he chose the ladder at 

 the end, while I took up a position on the ground 

 amongst the young teak trees. There was a stump 

 about two feet high at the place, and I stood on this, 

 as it enabled me to see a little further. 



The beat began, and after a short time I caught 

 a glimpse of the head of some animal moving 

 steadily towards my position through the grass on 

 my front. I at first guessed "wolf," but the next 

 instant I saw that it was the head of a tiger. On 

 my right there was no grass or undergrowth among 

 the teak poles, which grew in even, parallel lines, 

 and I decided to let the animal reach this space 

 before firing. The tigress came steadily and slowly 

 on, and was passing on my right front only twenty- 

 nine yards off, when I fired and dropped her dead 

 by a bullet through the neck. I fired the second 

 barrel, but it was not required, and the bullet only 

 grazed her as she lay. 



I had ordered a small boy, who had charge of 

 my spare rifle, to crouch behind the stump on which 

 I stood, and on no account to show himself, and he 

 obeyed his instructions so literally that it was not 



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