1 86 MY FIRST TIGER. 



F. I. 



The largest I have killed was ... 9 3 

 Height at shoulder 3 6 



I killed my first tiger when out at the Avalanche on 

 August 9, 1854. After having shot a splendid old saddle 

 back with grand horns, I was descending the mountain 

 towards the bungalow ; about half way down I saw some- 

 thing outside the shola, at first I thought it was a couple 

 of jungle sheep lying down, but on another look I saw 

 stripes, and on bringing the glasses to bear I saw it was 

 a royal tiger stretched out at full length on the grass. I told 

 Francis what it was, and he said we must kill him. The 

 ground was favourable for the stalk as the animal was lying 

 in a little dip ; we crept cautiously up to the mound above 

 the tiger, and on looking over I saw his immense head and 

 neck ; at first I thought he was looking at me, but it 

 was just the contrary, he was looking straight before him. 

 At that moment a couple of shots were fired near the 

 bungalow and the tiger turned his head in that direction, 

 giving me a beautiful shot behind the ear ; I took a steady 

 aim and pulled ; he fell over with a smothered roar. I 

 retreated under cover of the hill, but felt certain he was 

 dead, and sure enough when we got a sight of him again, 

 there he was lying exactly in the same place. I returned to 

 the mound where I first fired at him and Francis begged I 

 would put another bullet into him, so I fired at his chest and 

 he drew all his legs together and curled his tail over his back 

 and thus remained. I rather wanted to go up to him, but 

 Francis said, "if he is dead he will be there to-morrow, 

 and if he is not he is best left alone," and so after another 

 good look we left him for the night, and I arrived at the 



