194 IN THE INDIAN JUNGLE. 



be dead in the forest, and they set out in search 

 of it. They came to my bungalow after an hour's 

 time, and said they had found the tiger in a 

 water-course about six hundred yards off, and that 

 it was not dead, but had charged them. I advised 

 them to leave it alone, as a wounded tiger was a 

 very dangerous customer, and I added that they 

 would probably find it dead in the evening, by 

 which time the poisoned arrows would have taken 

 effect. 



They came back at four in the afternoon, and 

 told me the tiger was still in the same place, 

 and that it appeared to be very weak, and they 

 asked me to come and shoot it. I did not like 

 to refuse this request as it would appear to the 

 men that I was afraid to go where they had 

 already been. I knew the extreme danger of 

 following up a wounded tiger, yet I could see the 

 natives did not appreciate its full extent, and any 

 further delay on my part would have been put 

 down to fear. In dealing with wild races it is 

 very necessary that you should show them that 

 you are at least as courageous as themselves ; 

 if not, they soon lose all respect for you. I 

 told them therefore that I did not care to risk 

 their lives, as they were only armed with battle- 

 axes, but if they promised to remain at my bunga- 

 low, I would go, with one of their number to show 

 me the way, and try to shoot the tiger. At first they 

 demurred to letting the sahib go alone where there 

 was danger, but finding I was firm, they squatted 

 down near my bungalow, while one man accom- 



