OF THE OLD WORLD. 225 



I grasped my second gun, stuck my pistols in my 

 belt, so as to be ready for immediate use, and turned 

 towards the spot where the tiger appeared to be, at 

 the same time calling to Chineah and Googooloo, to 

 prevent them leaving their post on any account, for 

 I well knew how dangerous a wounded tiger is at 

 any time, more especially in the dark, when he can 

 see, and man cannot. On receiving the contents of 

 my rifle, he must have sprung clear over the ambus- 

 cade, for I heard him strugs^Iing in the bush just 

 behind it, grinding his teeth, and emitting strange 

 moaning noises. Every now and then he seemed to 

 be moving restlessly about, and at times I thought, 

 from his hard breathing, (which somewhat resembled 

 a loud snore,) that he was close to me ; indeed I 

 fancied once or twice that I felt the bushes shake, as 

 if he was trying to get at me. Although prepared 

 for all emergencies, I remained perfectly quiet, list- 

 ening intently to his movements, for the darkness 

 was so profound that I could not see my hand before 

 me. Ciiineah gave a signal to me once or twice, 

 but I dared not answer it, lest I should attract the 

 enraged animal's notice towards the place of my 

 concealment. After a lengthened period of anxious 

 and exciting suspense, I heard the wounded tiger 

 heave a long deep-drawn sigh, which was followed 

 by a succession of smothered groans and gaspings 

 for breath ; then came a heavy fall, another violent 

 6truggle, a gurgling bubbling sound in the throat as 

 of suffocation, a hollow rattle, and all was stilJ. 



p 



