268 , WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



Ward, whom I found standing over the body of a fine tigress. 

 The beast had probably travelled a long way during the night 

 in quest of food, and on the day breaking had lain up in the 

 first quiet spot. Ward came suddenly upon her, and finished 

 her before she had time to rise. We were much pleased with 

 this bit of unexpected sport, and making over our guns to our 

 attendants, we remounted our horses, and rode off merrily to 

 breakfast, leaving the men to follow with the tigress, which 

 we had bound on the elephant, after taking off the howdah, 

 to prevent damage to the skin. The howdah was carried in 

 by some villagers who had assembled at the spot. 



On reaching the camp we were met by our shikarees, 

 their countenances wearing a peculiar grin, which, from long 

 experience, I knew meant business. They informed us that 

 on their arrival they had found fresh tracks, and had tied up 

 sundry buffaloes on the previous evening in the most fre- 

 quented spots. One of these had been killed during the night 

 in the Maun river, half-a-mile above the junction, and the 

 carcass had been dragged into a large patch of cypress in the 

 bed of the stream. Markers had been posted on the trees 

 along the bank, and only our presence was necessary to open 

 the ball Kefreshed by this intelligence, we proceeded to 

 breakfast, and soon after the guns and elephant came in. 



Our followers, who had preceded us, had suffered a good 

 deal from bees, several large swarms having been roused by 

 the smoke of the camp-fires from the few trees at the place 

 which afforded shade to our tents. The village cattle had, 

 moreover, been in the habit of seeking shelter from the mid- 

 day sun under these trees, and the- ground was alive with 

 ticks, by which our men had been grievously bitten. The 

 bite of these insects is severe, and is followed by great itching 

 and swelling, which lasts for two days or more. In such 



