BEEMA, THE BAGH-MAREE. 105 



there is room for him to pass. He also crouches 

 low when walking. In the dry season there are 

 many paths in the jungle, and as we know not 

 which the tiger will take, we don't usually set our 

 traps in the dry weather. During the rains, when 

 the underwood has grown, we know that the 

 tigers must take the beaten paths, and we set our 

 traps accordingly. The bow is set on V-shaped 

 twigs about eighteen inches from the ground. 

 The bow is placed on one side of the path and a 

 string connected with the trigger stretches across 

 the path, about eighteen inches above the ground, 

 and is tied fast to a twig on the opposite side. 

 If a tiger or panther attempts to follow the path 

 he must breast the string and the strain sets free 

 the poisoned arrows (we generally use two to each 

 bow), which enter his side, and he dies in a few 

 hours within a few hundred yards of the trap. 

 In case men or cattle should stray on to the path, 

 two other strings are attached to the trigger and 

 tied to twigs three and a half feet off the ground 

 and three or four yards away from the trap. This 

 greater height allows a tiger to pass underneath, 

 but should a bullock or a man come that way, he 

 brushes against the higher string, which sets free 

 the arrows before he comes up to them, and they 

 pass harmlessly into the brushwood. 



' There is no danger in following up a tiger 

 wounded with poisoned arrows, for even if he is 

 not dead he is so weakened by the potency of the 

 poison that we easily despatch him with our 

 battle-axes. I have never been hurt by a tiger 



