CHAPTER XVIII. 



THE GREAT ANNAMULLAY FOREST. — TIGEE- 

 HUNTING, 



Our plan of operations. — The hunting-grounds. — Preparations. 

 — The journey. — Jungle travelling. — Our bivouac. — A lonely 

 glen. — Signs of game. — The ambuscade. — Foreign signs and 

 jungle melody. — Googooloo gives tongue. — The spoiler 

 spoiled. — An unexpected rencontre. — A wounded tigress. — 

 Her retreat stormed. — Fatal accident. — Ketribution. — The 

 Shekarry's grave. 



Towards the latter end of May, having become 

 somewhat weary of the commonplace routine of 

 ordinary cantonment-life in Ootacamund, I deter- 

 mined, before the monsoon broke, to have a fort- 

 night's hunting with my old chum B , in that 



immense tract of virgin forest which lies to the 

 south of the Neilgherry mountains, and extends 

 over the Annamullay range, and along the Western 

 Ghauts. This region, which in the most recent 

 maps is still left blank as an " unexplored district," 

 is one continuous wilderness of mountains and dense 

 waving forest, veined with broad rivers and streams, 

 extending over an area of several hundreds of square 



