856 WAITING FOR THE BEAT. 



left to its fate. The night was starlit and quiet. Fireflies glancing near 

 the border of the lake, and in and out amongst the dark foliage of the 

 garden, were the only signs of life in that direction, but I knew that a 

 dark deed was being done, or would be done there before morning. 



As soon as it was light the men collected at the tent. I sent Subba 

 and two others to see what had become of the donkey, and as we were 

 starting we saw them running excitedly towards us. They had seen the 

 two leopards enter the thicket in the north-east corner wliere the donkey 

 had been tied. They had killed and dragged it some distance, and had 

 eaten more than half of it. The beaters formed line near this spot, whilst 

 I took the markers with me and saw each one safely up his tree in different 

 parts of the boundary-hedges, and in the middle of the garden. They were 

 cautioned on no account to come down, nor shout to us whatever they saw, 

 but merely to keep their eyes open, and be able to let us know when we 

 wanted information. Knowing how cunning panthers often are, I thought 

 it possible that, if hotly pressed in the garden, one or other of them might 

 betake itself to the detached clump of aloe-bushes which I have already men- 

 tioned as being situated a hundred yards beyond the south boundary-hedge. 

 There was a large tree growing in the centre of the clump, so I ordered an 

 old fellow to climb into it on the remote chance of his being useful there. 

 The men were so disposed in the trees along each boundary hedge that it 

 was impossible for any animal once afoot to hide itself where it would not 

 be under the silent observation of one or other of them. 



I mounted my tree in the narrow belt of jungle that, as aforesaid, 

 crossed the garden and linked the two chief thickets together, whUst a 

 man was posted in the open ground outside the garden who could see me 

 and also the advancing beaters. I arranged a code of signals with him 

 for guiding the beaters. Accidents or failure frequently ensue in driving 

 dangerous game from want of communication with the beaters. Either a 

 wounded animal turns back and meets the advancing men, who imagine it 

 has been killed or has gone forward, and continue the beat ; or if they take 

 the precautionary measure of leaving the cover upon hearing shots, when 

 the beast may in reality have been missed, or have gone forward, his mate 

 or others of his kind in the drive may take the opportunity of slipping back 

 and escaping. 



I sat alone. I have too often found that an attendant moves or coughs 

 at the critical moment to desire company. I occupied myself until the 

 beat began by settKng myself comfortably. My seat was a blanket rolled 

 round a thick bough. With my knife and a saw-blade I lopped off such 

 surrounding twigs as obstructed the view. I fastened my spare gun to a^ 



