2*78 WILD MEN AND WILD BEASTS. 



tween the large trees which grew below me, but, marking an 

 open bit of white sand over which I saw he would pass, I 

 stood ready, and as he came in sight I fired down, shooting 

 him through the back He swerved heavily, and ceased to 

 roar. Then, rushing forward, he disappeared in the patch of 

 willows. Calling to Blowers to follow, I ran down the hill, 

 and we climbed into our old positions in the trees. The beaters 

 came on upon the opposite bank, from which they threw 

 volleys of stones into the thicket, hoping to drive the tiger 

 towards us, but he rose, and crossing over, ascended the face 

 of the hill, and disappeared among the rocks, close to the 

 spot from which I had fired. We went cautiously up to the 

 place, guided by a man perched in a tree, and found ourselves 

 on a huge fragment of rock which formed the roof of the 

 tiger's retreat. The entrance, however, was on the face of the 

 hill, and was not to be seen from where we stood. 



The men shouted and yelled, and dangled cloths over the 

 mouth of the cave, but the tiger showed no sign, and we failed 

 to make any impression on him by smoke or fire. We worked 

 at him for upwards of two hours, but he would not move. To 

 descend to the mouth of the cave would have placed us at too 

 great a disadvantage, for the foothold was insecure, and a mere 

 fall among the rocks would probably have broken bones. At 

 length we heard a faint cry, which some of the men supposed 

 to come from young bears or hyaenas. After that all was still. 

 We now held a consultation, and agreed that the wisest course 

 would be to return next morning and explore the cave. We 

 concluded that the tiger would probably die, and we should 

 get him without further trouble. If his wound were only 

 slight, he would leave during the night. 



On the following morning, about 9 A.M., one of our men, 

 who had been near the cave, reported having observed an un- 



