286 IN THE INDIAN JUNGLE. 



forest, the inhabitants of which had securely 

 fastened their doors at dusk, as this tiger had been 

 known to enter a village and carry off a woman 

 who was drawing water from a well. We learned 

 from the villagers that the Government tiger 

 slayers had left the road and taken a short cross 

 cut to Moyar. While in converse with the villagers 

 a transit from Ooty drew up, and in it were two 

 officers of the 6oth Rifles on their way to Bandypore 

 to look up the famous tiger. My tale was soon 

 told, and after a hasty meal we set out for the spot 

 where the driver was carried off. We had to do 

 the driving ourselves as the natives were too 

 frightened to sit on the box alone. We camped 

 at the deserted transit station and were out 

 betimes next morning, but nothing could be 

 found of the body, nor were there any traces 

 of the tiger. We searched all that day and 

 part of the next, but no tiger, nor any signs of 

 the unfortunate man's body could we see. Leaving 

 the officers to continue the hunt the transit was 

 once more turned to the Ooty direction, I driving, 

 and my servant inside (the driver had decamped 

 the previous day). I was in hopes of getting a 

 change of bullocks and new driver at Seegor, 

 and was driving along slowly when we arrived 

 at a large stream (the Moyar river) about two in 

 the afternoon. My servant asked me to stop 

 a little as he wished to obtain a drink at the river. 

 There is a fine masonry bridge of several arches 

 over the stream, and on this I stopped the coach 

 to allow my boy to quench his thirst. He had 



