86 TIGERS. 



post. A little less elevation might have resulted in 

 stringing the pair ! The next beat a short one was 

 blank ; we then had tiffin in the nullah, and each man 

 endeavoured ineffectually to explain away his bad shooting, 

 one and all vowing they would not let the next chance 

 slip. The beaters were then sent by a circuituous 

 route to the lower end of the valley to bring it back 

 towards us. They were divided into three parties, a 

 central one of about seventy men, and two wings of forty 

 men each. Both tigers were again soon on foot, and made 

 several attempts to break back through the beaters. One 

 succeeded in doing so, but the other was gradually pushed 

 forward to us, the beaters being admirably handled, and 

 all attempts to turn their flanks being defeated by an 

 advance of the threatened wing, the remainder of the line 

 moving towards that flank in file. Eventually the brute was 

 bowled over by Poulton as she lobbed past his post, the 

 bullet striking her spine and paralysing her on the spot. 

 We descended from our trees and approached her to within 

 ten yards with the intention of going still closer, but she 

 looked so fiendish, that discretion gained the day, and a 

 bullet through the brain put her out of misery. She was 

 7f feet long and beautifully marked. Eegardless of ticks 

 we then proceeded to sit on the carcase and, to have 

 a drink of triumph, but our united weight was too much 

 for her interior economy, and a sepulchral rumbling was 

 heard underneath us, when a most ridiculous stampede 

 ensued. Bushing for our rifles, we fell head over heels, the 

 natives swarmed up the trees, utter confusion prevailed for 

 a few moments, but as the tigress remained unmoved the 

 real state of affairs was soon recognised. Some of the 

 beaters bolted to their village two miles distant, and gave 

 out that the sahibs had all been eaten by a demon in tiger 



