DO TIGERS DREAD FIRE? 263 



back to the open ground near the river. The men 

 received orders to keep as much as possible together, 

 and even when going into the forest for water or 

 other purposes to go two at a time. In another 

 four days we had made about fifteen miles, 

 when a third man was missing at night. The 

 men used to cluster round the camp-fires at 

 night ; a policeman was on guard at intervals 

 of four hours, and the elephants were picketed 

 near at hand ; yet none knew how the man had 

 disappeared. The police on guard said that at 

 about midnight one of the coolies left the fire to 

 go into the bushes for a little while. He thought 

 he saw the man return, but he was not sure. A 

 careful search was made all around, yet no trace of 

 the man was visible, nor track of any wild animal. 

 A great fear fell on all. I confess that I myself felt 

 some alarm at this unknown danger. If we knew 

 the source from which to look for an attack, a 

 proper defence might be provided. But here were 

 three men missing, at intervals of four days, and 

 none could say how or where they had gone. Was 

 it a head-hunting party of the wild Wa that had 

 crossed the river and were carrying off human 

 heads to grace the village ' Avenue of great 

 deeds ' ? Was it a party of dacoits that were 

 following us up and not feeling strong enough 

 to attack us together were cutting off stragglers 

 and would eventually storm the camp. It could 

 not be a tiger for there were no signs of these 

 creatures about, and then what of the intervals 

 of four days, and the following up of our camp, 



