260 ROUGHING IT IN SOUTHERN INDIA 



CHAPTER XXII 



A solitary week — Rollo — Huts described — A night prowler — A dark 

 night and a pitched battle — A tiger's tactics with bison — Herd-boy 

 drives off tiger — A foggy night — A tiger's mistake — Ibex kids. 



It was our custom during the hot weather to camp for two 

 or three months in the hills, where there was always plenty 

 of inspection work to be done. It happened once or twice 

 when we were there that P. was recalled to Coimbatore, 

 our headquarters, to meet his chief, which would necessitate 

 a week's absence at shortest ; so I had to choose between 

 going down with him into the throbbing, airless heat of the 

 plains or remaining in cool comfort all by myself — servants 

 and camp people not counting in my sense, though it could 

 not strictly be said that I should be alone. Neither alter- 

 native was at all to my fancy ; but F. had no choice, he had 

 to go ; moreover, he could get over the journey there and 

 back a great deal quicker without me. If I went it would 

 give additional trouble all round ; the toil of bringing me 

 up had been arduous enough, with all that was possible done 

 to ease it. Besides, we should be leaving camp in about 

 two months' time, so common-sense won the day ; but I 

 was very glad when that week was over. 



The last thing F. said before leaving was to his best friend 

 among the dogs, Rollo, a native hound with a nose that 

 never lost a trail, a silent tongue, and tireless feet. Rollo 

 was brought into our sleeping hut, shown his corner by the 

 door, where a bed was laid for him, and told to look after 

 me. He understood perfectly ; he looked steadfastly in 

 his master's face and listened while he was being talked 



