138 The Hunting Grounds 



and all was still. The man-eater was dead, and his 

 victims avenged. 



My gang, attracted by the sound of my shots, 

 came rushing up almost breathless, and long and loud 

 were the rejoicings when the tiger was recognised by 

 Kistimah as the cunning man-eater who had been the 

 scourge of the surrounding country for months. 



He was covered with mange, and had but little 

 hair left on his skin, which was of a reddish brown 

 colour, and not worth taking. I made Chineah cut 

 off the right paw with his axe, and sent a post-runner 

 into camp with it to announce my success. A bullock- 

 cart was then fetched from the village, on which the 

 carcass was with much difficulty hoisted, and dragged 

 off in triumph by the villagers, for the bullocks were 

 so frightened by his smell that they would not allow 

 themselves to be harnessed to the cart ; all force and 

 coaxing being in vain to get them sufficiently near to 

 place the yokes on their necks. 



All the villagers turned out to witness our entry, 

 poojahs (religious ceremonies) were performed, sheep 

 and cocks sacrificed, and prayers offered up to sundry 

 Sawmies (Hindoo gods) in my name. I was the 

 centre of attraction of all the young girls of the 

 village, whose dark sparkling eyes flashed kindly on 

 me as they stood waving their hands on either side 

 of the road. As for the old women, I really had 

 some difficulty to get out of their clutches; they 



