318 The Hunting Grounds 



To show our respect to the memory of the ske- 

 karry who had come to such an unfortunate end, we 

 all attended, and, at the request of the gang, three 

 vollies were fired over his grave. Strange to say, 

 that hardly had the echoes of the last report died 

 away, rumbling amongst the hills, than the roaring 

 of another tiger was distinctly heard several times. 



Whilst the grave was being filled in, many of the 

 gang were much affected, but not a word was uttered 

 by any, except Chineah, who, with his eyes still 

 streaming with tears for the loss of his companion, 

 pronounced the following oration : " Boht utcha Ske- 

 karry tha, lakin murgia, Jcya kurna? Nusseeb liy? 

 (He was a very good Shekarry, but he is dead 

 what can we do ? It is his fate.) Then each man, 

 fetching a large stone, placed it reverentially over the 

 grave, so as to form a kind of cairn, and making 

 salaam to both of us, returned to the hut, we follow- 

 ing with heavy hearts. As it still wanted some 

 hours to dawn, we turned into bed : but that fearful 

 death-shriek still rang in my ears, and, although tired 

 and weary, I could not sleep. 



