1 98 IN THE INDIAN JUNGLE. 



the bushes out of sight. Keeping my piece still 

 levelled at the spot, I directed the men to retire ; 

 but there was no need for this, as all but two had 

 vanished at the first sound of the tiger's note. The 

 names of these two brave men ought to be recorded 

 in print, and I give them here Lalloo the 

 Tantee, and Purdan the Boomij. These two 

 brave fellows stuck to me and one of them 

 whispered : " Don't fire, sahib, till you see its head, 

 for if you don't kill it with your shot it will 

 kill all three of us." There we stood for a good 

 five minutes peering about, but unable to catch 

 a glimpse of it, so well had it concealed itself, 

 although now and again it would emit a growl and 

 the peculiar gurgling sound tigers make. I now 

 directed Purdan to climb a tree close by and 

 endeavour to see the tiger. This he did, and told 

 me the tiger was still behind the bushes, watching 

 me and lashing its tail. Peer as I would, I could 

 not catch a glimpse of it, and knew it would be 

 foolhardy to advance any nearer. There was a 

 little open ground behind the tiger, and Purdan 

 advised that I should make a detour and get a 

 shot from behind, while he remained on the tree. 

 This I proceeded to do, accompanied by Lalloo. 

 The jemadar now put in an appearance, and I 

 directed him to get on to a tree also. We had barely 

 been gone five minutes when Purdan shouted that 

 the tiger was making in our direction. There it 

 was, true enough, some fifty yards off, slouching 

 along, and stopping now and again to look in my 

 direction. Directing Lalloo to get behind me I 



