OF THE OLD WORLD. 125 



and very cunning, and I should not at all wonder if 

 even now he was watching us from some dark 

 thicket." 



As he said this I carefully examined the caps of 

 my rifle, and I observed some of the gang close uj) 

 with a strange shudder, for this brute had inspired 

 them all with a wholesome fear, and prevented their 

 straggling. Two or three spoke almost in whispers, 

 as if they were afraid of his really being sufficiently 

 near to hear thera conspiring for his destruction. 



At length Kistimah said that he had been think- 

 ing of a plan which, though dangerous in the execu- 

 tion, might be attended with success. It was for 

 me to go, with a man dressed as a runner, down the 

 main road at sunset, being the time the tiger gene- 

 rally carried off his victims, and to run the chance 

 of getting a shot. 



At this proposition sundry interjectional expres- 

 sions, such as "Abah!" "Arrez!" "Toba!" 

 " Toba ! " escaped from the lips^ of the by-standers, 

 and, from sundry shaking of heads and other un- 

 mistakable signs, I could see that it had not found 

 much favour in their eyes. Chineah, the dhoby, and 

 one or two of the gang, however, approved of the 

 plan, and Kistimah offered to accompany me as the 

 post-runner. 



This, however, I objected to, for I thought that I 

 should have a better chance of meeting the tiger if 

 I went alone than in company ; besides, I preferred 

 having only myself to look after. The plan of action 



