of the Old World. 293 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



THE GREAT ANNAMULLAY FOREST. TIGER- 

 HUNTING. 



Our plan of operations. The hunting-grounds. Preparations. 

 The journey. Jungle travelling. Our bivouac. A lonely 

 glen. Signs of game. The ambuscade. Forest signs and 

 jungle melody. Googooloo gives tongue. The spoiler 

 spoiled. An unexpected rencontre. A wounded tigress. 

 Her retreat stormed. Fatal accident. Retribution. The 

 Shekarry's grave. 



COWARDS the latter end of May, having become 

 somewhat weary of the commonplace routine 

 of ordinary cantonment-life in Ootacamund, I deter- 

 mined, before the monsoon broke, to have a fortnight's 



hunting with my old chum B , in that immense 



tract of virgin forest which lies to the south of the 

 Neilgherri mountains, and extends over the Anna- 

 mullay range, and along the western Ghauts. This 

 region, which in the most recent maps is still left 

 blank as an "unexplored district," is one continuous 

 wilderness of mountains and dense waving forest, 

 veined with broad rivers and streams, extending over 



