1 92 WILD SPORTS Of BURMA AND ASSAM 



beautiful birds. When the beaters had advanced about half- 

 way, one of the stops indicated that something was coming 

 his way ; his tat-tat was succeeded by that of the next, and 

 finally by the last man, and out walked a brocket. As meat 

 was badly wanted, and I had no faith in my luck, I was think- 

 ing of murdering this innocent, when there was another tap. 

 So I allowed him to go by, but as the other markers did not 

 respond, I thought the quarry, whatever it might be, had 

 broken back. I had my eyes fixed on the grass beyond the 

 nullah, not on the water-course itself, but as I saw no move- 

 ment there, I looked up the nullah, and, with his proud head 

 in the air, looking about him, was a veritable jungle-wallah, a 

 sambur, which might have been worthy almost of those in the 

 Neilgherry hills. He was listening intently, with his ears 

 turned backward. I think I could have shot him where he 

 stood, but to make sure, I waited until he should get closer. 

 For fully five minutes he stood like a rock, then, as the 

 beaters came closer, he gave a stamp or two with his feet, and 

 then trotted towards where I was in hiding. He was followed 

 by five hinds. As he came abreast, I bowled him over ; at 

 the report the does rushed here and there in a decidedly un- 

 certain state as to which way to escape. So I had ample 

 time to put in a fresh cartridge and roll over two plump ones. 

 Thinking all was over I was just about to descend, when I 

 heard a vigorous tap-tap. I reloaded and crouched down, 

 with my heart beating with excitement, but for some little 

 time nothing showed. But again another tap indicated that 

 there was something afoot ; the beaters were not far off, 

 hurrying on, no doubt, to ascertain what I had slain. Just 

 then there was a dead silence. The last watcher gave no 

 indication, and I was a bit off my guard, when a large tiger 

 sprang over some bushes into the bed of the river almost 

 opposite me and bounded up the bank, his head and face 

 being about five paces from me. He was hanging on by his fore- 

 feet and endeavouring to scramble up with his hind. Instinct- 

 ively I fired into his face, and the tiger fell backwards. I 

 jumped up, and caught just a sight of a brindled mass disap- 

 pearing, and took a snap-shot with the left barrel, which the 

 brute acknowledged by a deep growl. So even supposing I had 



