ROUGHING IT IN SOUTHERN INDIA 247 



CHAPTER XXI 



Mode of progression with a man-eater about — A gruesome discovery 

 — The man-eater's end — General rejoicings — Little herd-boys and 

 tigers — Native shikaris — Murder under cover of tiger — Epicurism of 

 tigers — Fate of a Brahmin — A mad gallop — A tiger and a father — 

 Night in a machan — A mauvais quart d'heure — Trophies. 



Forest operations must obviously be carried out in forests ; 

 so when a tiger of ill-fame is more than suspected of being 

 about, it is necessary for the men engaged in them to take 

 special precautions while moving from one part to another. 

 The plan often adopted is that one leads the way, others 

 place themselves in a double row back to back, and edge 

 along sideways, while the one who brings up the rear walks 

 backwards . Thus keen eyes range every avenue of approach . 

 This was what they did now, F. generally being the end 

 man ; but people cannot always move about in gangs, and 

 work was hindered. Had he been alone, or with one choice 

 companion, probably he would have enjoyed himself 

 mightily, but not as it was ; for this tiger was becoming an 

 incubus — the unknown quantity in all his plans and calcula- 

 tions. And it was of no use to look for him ; that were only 

 to search for the proverbial needle. The fact that no missing 

 folk were reported was nothing to go by, or only negative 

 proof at best. But things have their own way of coming 

 about ; and while the man-eater was still to seek, in no 

 one place more than another, one fine day he dropped into 

 F.'s hands ! 



Riotous, indeed, was the tamasha * at sundown on that 

 day, for the news spread like wildfire, and from far and near 



1 Festivities. 



