ROUGHING IT IN SOUTHERN INDIA 235 



but fell short, shot in air by F.'s friend, who as guest had 

 been previously signalled to take first place. Had the aim 

 been faulty, or the cartridge missed fire or jammed, as 

 cartridges will, F.'s rifle was also ready, the trophy belong- 

 ing in that case (according to sportsman law) to whichever 

 of the two men drew first blood. But no need ; the rifle 

 ' spoke,' as the natives say, and its leaden message reached 

 the tiger's brain through his eye, so that not a single hole 

 marred the perfect skin. 



Men need to be steady at such work ; those who go afoot 

 after tiger must have their armoury from within : a nerve 

 that nothing can startle, pluck that never quails, hands that 

 never tremble, eye and judgment that never miscalculate, 

 and aim unerring — it is fatal to be second-rate in any of 

 these things. 



Not that a tiger is such a very brave beast, rather the 

 reverse ; for many a less magnificent animal could give him 

 points. With his looks his kingly qualities end. The wild 

 boar, hideous as he is, yet not without a savage grandeur 

 of his own, is a foe much more to be respected. The tiger, 

 if he miss his charge, will not renew it. Failure cowes him ; 

 he slinks back, as it were, morally vanquished, so ashamed 

 of himself is he. But the boar scorns hiding or skulking. 

 Wounded to the death or not, he will come on and on again 

 while there is breath in him, ripping up dog after dog, and 

 men too. Never will he say die, nor does he know when he 

 is beaten. He can wheel round in his own length, and, 

 awkward as he appears, is as quick as lightning. Seldom 

 does he die unavenged. You may get him at the finish, 

 but at the cost of a dog or two ; for to a certainty, even if 

 none are killed outright, there will be sorry, gaping wounds 

 to be sewn up then and there if it can possibly be done. 

 To minor scratches the game pack pay little heed, and 

 straggle home limp enough if it has been anything of a 

 tussle, but always on the alert till they may close their eyes 



