130 THE HUNTING GROUNDS 



grass, as if something was making its way towards 

 me : then I heard a loud purring sound, and saw 

 something twitching backwards and forwards behind 

 a clump of low bush and long grass, about eight or 

 ten paces from me, and a little in the rear. It was 

 a ticklish moment, but I felt prepared. I stepped 

 back a couple of paces, in order to get a better view, 

 which action probably saved my life, for immedi- 

 ately the brute sprang into the middle of the road, 

 alighting about six feet from the place where I was 

 standing. I fired a hurried shot ere he could gather 

 himself up for another spring, and when the smoke 

 cleared away I saw him rolling over and over in the 

 dusty road, writhing in his death agony, for my shot 

 had entered the neck and gone downwards into his 

 chest. I stepped on one side and gave him my 

 second barrel behind the ear, when dark blood 

 rushed from his nostrils, a slight tremor passed over 

 all his limbs, and all was still. The man-eater was 

 dead, and his victims avenged. 



My gang, attracted by the sound of my shots, 

 came rushing up almost breathless, and long and 

 loud were the rejoicings when the tiger was recog- 

 nised by Kistimah as the cunning man-eater who 

 had been the scourge of the surrounding country for 

 months. 



He was covered with mange, and had but little 

 hair left on his skin, which was of a reddish brown 

 colour, and not worth taking. I made Chineah 



