40 THE EASTEEN HUNTERS. 



tigress, which had been tied by its legs to a long 

 branch, reached the camp. Having deposited their 

 burden with much grunting and rubbing of shoulders, 

 they were, under the orders of Mackenzie, mar- 

 shalled into line, and then desired to sit down in a 

 ring. This accomplished, Mackenzie, with a bag of 

 money in his hand, briefly addressed them : 



" You have all done well," he said. " The other 

 Sahibs and myself are pleased. You shall always 

 be fairly paid by myself, or one of the other gentle- 

 men, and have your day's pay without deduction. 

 Place that in mind. To-day I shall give you an 

 extra half-day's pay ; and so I will always do when 

 we kill. After I have paid you, each man make for 

 himself a cup, and I will give him a drink of 

 Mourah." 



There were some pleasant murmurings after 

 this brief speech ; but as it was probably unintel- 

 ligible to many, though spoken in Hindustani, 

 Biigonauth was desired to translate it into their 

 dialect. A buzz of approval, and various ejacula- 

 tions, in which " chcrisher of the poor "" was clearly 

 and generally distinguishable, followed the announce- 

 ment of the Sahib's intentions. 



The money paid, the party dispersed in search of 

 cups. These were soon found. The Peepul, or 

 other broad-leaved tree, furnished the material. 



