ADVENTURES IN CAMP AND JUNGLE. 293 



the elephant, and we had seen enough of him to know that he 

 would be unpleasant to meet on foot. We therefore returned 

 to camp, hoping for better luck next time. 



On the following day we remained at home, but early 

 next morning Dhokul appeared and reported a buffalo slain 

 near the spot where the large tiger had been shot two days 

 before. He added that, as the entire carcass had disappeared, 

 and the ground was much trampled, we might expect more 

 tigers than one. This day I had choice of positions, and I 

 selected a tree in an angle formed by a bend in the bed of 

 the nullah, and about fifty yards from the bank, for, as a 

 rule, beasts will seldom follow the course of a stream or 

 ravine round a corner, but will leave the bed and cross over 

 the angle. In addition to my gun-bearer, who sat beside me, 

 I posted a man high up in a tree to my front, with orders to 

 give intimation by signs of the approach of any beast. Hay- 

 ward was in another tree on my right near the bed of the 

 nullah. Soon after the beaters entered the covert a very 

 handsome tigress came out about forty yards on my left 

 front. She was a fine lissom beast, with a long well-shaped 

 neck, clean head; and a rich bright skin. I had a fair shot 

 at her, but though I fired twice she was untouched beyond a 

 slight graze across the forearm. Bounding away, she went 

 off into the covert behind us, leaving me very much ashamed 

 of myself. 



Quickly reloading, I sat quiet, and soon after my look-out 

 man held up one finger and pointed into the grass below him. 

 Presently he held up two fingers, and two young tigers, nearly 

 full-grown, came stalking out. I dropped them both right 

 and left, and then gave each another shot from my second 

 rifle ; but they got away into the long grass, and I feared lest 

 they should damage the beaters. Shouting to them to halt 



