1)4 TIGER8. 



climbs a tree to scan the ground in front, and the guns 

 advance slowly shoulder to shoulder, rifles at full-cock, the 

 centre gun watching the front, and the others their 

 respective flanks. On gaining thirty yards or so a fresh 

 tree is ascended, and a further forward movement made. 

 If a tracker is necessary, he should be armed himself, and 

 must work under the muzzles of the sportsmen's rifles. It 

 is not fair to expect a man to undertake such work 

 unarmed, and there are many instances on record where 

 shikaries have done good service with their weapons at 

 such close quarters. If the jungle is very thick, it may be 

 set on fire if it will burn, but no advance can be made on 

 foot with safety ; the recent sad death of Colonel Hutchin- 

 son in the Belgaum district, exemplifies the danger of such 

 an attempt. 



A solitary sportsman should never follow a wounded 

 tiger into covert on foot, for he cannot do the work of 

 three men i.e., keep watch to front and flanks. Two of 

 my acquaintances have met with their deaths by doing so. 

 The first (Captain Doig), in 1868, followed a wounded 

 tigress into some scrub jungle near Trimulgherry, and 

 carried the tracks into a nullah fringed with custard apple 

 bushes, which do not afford much covert in the hot 

 weather, being then bare of foliage. While examining the 

 tracks, the tiger appeared suddenly on the left flank, and 

 killed him to the best of my recollection before he 

 could again fire his rifle.* In any case, where covert is 

 thick, the betting is entirely in the tiger's favour ; he can 

 see without being seen, can select his opportunity, and 



* The last case was that of the late Lieutenant-General the 

 Honourable Sir J. Dormer, Commander-in-Chief, Madras, who 

 followed a wounded tiger into a sholah, and received wounds 

 from which he died. 



