158 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



not let me descend, as he said he was sure the tiger was not 

 far off. So, tying the guns to the tree, he passed his turban 

 round my body, and kept me in my place. We called to 

 Ashburner, who was not far offj and he left his tree, and came 

 with several men to our assistance and helped me down. We 

 then left the river-bank, and I was placed in the shade of the 

 trunk of a tree. 



I began to feel rather better, and Ashburner had shouted 

 to the others to come and have luncheon. He was busy 

 unpacking the basket, when we heard a great uproar from the 

 river, followed by two shots, and snatching up our rifles, we 

 ran forward in time to meet Bulkley staggering up the bank 

 with his clothes all torn and bloody. 



They had dismounted from the elephant in the bed of the 

 river, where they were joined by some of the beaters, and 

 were on their way up the bank to join us at luncheon. 

 Arbuthnot was somewhat in advance, and Bulkley followed 

 with a number of beaters, when the latter suddenly called out 

 " The tiger ! the tiger ! " and fled incontinently. 



Bulkley wheeled round, and at that instant the tiger 

 charged out. It had been lying in the deep shade caused by 

 a mass of willows, bent over by a heap of drift and debris 

 from the river ; and Arbuthnot, and the men with him, must 

 have passed within a few yards of it on their way up the 

 bank. As the tiger charged, Bulkley fired both barrels in his 

 face, but, failing to stop him, turned and endeavoured to get 

 away. His foot slipped, and he fell forward against the bank. 

 At that instant the tiger seized him by the back, just over 

 the shoulder-blade, and carried him off for about twenty 

 yards. Bulkley had probably wounded him in his charge, 

 for he now dropped him and retired into the bush, and did not 

 again show. The wounded man picked himself up, and met 



