60 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



up by Sliaik Adam ; and, being somewhat inexperienced, I 

 bowed to their mature judgment, and made up my mind to 

 pass the night in the tree. 



As we had made no platform or arrangement of any sort 

 for squatting, the prospect of sitting for eight hours on a 

 small branch was not invigorating, the more so that we 

 had been on the move since daybreak in the morning. My 

 first proceeding was to tie the guns to branches, and then to 

 cut up my turban into lengths for stirrups, as the blood de- 

 scending into the feet when kept long in a hanging position 

 gives a very painful sensation. 



The padded cover of my cap was employed as a cushion, 

 and another portion of my turban to tie round the waist to 

 the tree at my back, and so to keep me in position in the 

 event of my falling asleep. 



These little arrangements concluded, I smoked myself into 

 a state of somnolency, and passed one of the most uncomfort- 

 able nights I can remember. So eager were we to bag the 

 tiger, that even when the day broke we retained our positions 

 for some time, in the hope that he would return to the cow ; 

 but we never saw him. 



Returning to the tent, I found my chum still in small health, 

 so we determined to move to Phoonda, where an officer of the 

 Quartermaster-General's department was employed in making a 

 road through the pass, and from him we hoped to get some medi- 

 cines. We accordingly rode in after breakfast, leaving the ser- 

 vants to follow with the baggage and tent. Captain Delhoste 

 received us hospitably, and made us comfortable at the travellers' 

 bungalow, which was situated on the crest of the mountain, 

 commanding a magnificent view of the pass and low country. 

 We made a halt here of a couple of days, during which my 

 companion was fortunate in shaking off his feverish attack. 



