TUE HUNTING GROUNDS, ETC. 73 



As we approached the tannah, or police-statiim, 

 wg found all the head men of the surroundin<^ 

 villages waiting for us, each attended by several of 

 his people, armed with matchlocks, swords, spears, 

 clubs, or any weapons they could lay hands upon, 

 As we approached the entrance, the crowd of vil- 

 lagers surrounding the building made way for us, 

 and I proceeded to explain to them the arrange- 

 ments for the battue ; which, were that a large half 

 circle of four miles in diameter was to be formed, 

 having for its base the river, which was broad and 

 deep, and along the opposite banks of which I had 

 the evenino- before given directions that a chain of 

 matchlock-men should be posted, to observe and be 

 prepared to resist the tiger should he attempt to 

 swim over. The nullah, or watercourse, and the 

 lair we visited the day before were enclosed, and I 

 distributed the armed sepoys and the village autho- 

 rities among the beaters to see that the line was 

 properly kept ; sending the other officers (with the 

 exception of the doctor, who chose to remain with 

 me) to different places, where I thought they would 

 have a good chance when the game broke. 



One of my gang accompanied each ; the rest, with 

 most of my suwars, or irregular cavalry troopers, 

 remained with me, and I chose my place in the part 

 of the line that would pass over the nullah and the 

 lair we had seen the day before. 



As it was almost impossible to beat that part of 

 the forest, on account of the dense underwood, I 



