TIGERS. 117 



again seen. This gallant officer was the hero of a well- 

 authenticated pig-sticking episode near Kamptee. The 

 hunt shikari, in attempting to dislodge a boar from some 

 thick covert, had been attacked and ripped ; he cried out 

 for help, and Mr. G. dismounted and entered the covert, 

 but was immediately charged and knocked over by the 

 boar, his spear being sent flying. He, however, managed to 

 cling on to the boar's back, and actually rode him, till the 

 rest of the party, having also dismounted, entered the covert 

 and speared the brute. In addition to the light bamboo 

 or rope ladder usually carried to facilitate the ascent of 

 trees, for a tiger beat a small hempen rope, about fifteen 

 feet long, will be found to be most useful for securing one- 

 self, by loose lashing, to adjacent boughs when the desired 

 height has been gained ; a much freer use of the rifle will 

 then be possible, and there will be little, if any, danger of 

 an involuntary fall. We often extemporised a sort of 

 chair, by passing this rope several times from one branch 

 to another, the ends being firmly knotted, but when the 

 sportsman takes up his position the surrounding circum- 

 stances will suggest many uses for this article, which 

 should always form part of a tiger shooter's equipment. 

 A shikar knife is an inconvenient and useless thing to 

 carry as a rule, but when posted in leafy trees is occasion- 

 ally necessary to lop off small branches that may interfere 

 with the aim or view. Even when one is posted in a tree, 

 and therefore practically safe, a thrill of pleasurable excite- 

 ment will be experienced when a tiger is seen to be 

 approaching in a direction that renders getting a shot a 

 certainty. On such occasions, when a young hand, I used 

 to avert my eyes and count ten seconds at intervals, to 

 enable me to resist the temptation of firing before he had 

 arrived within twenty yards. 



