RETURNING TO THE DEAD RHINOCERI. 273 



occasion. Standing stock still for some moments, my finger 

 on the trigger of my rifle, and every sense stretched to its 

 utmost, I awaited some further demonstration, but a repetition 

 of the same ominous sound at a greater distance, proclaimed 

 the retreat of the enemy, a couple of bullets sent rattling 

 after it, hastening the movements of the tiger, which could be 

 heard bounding through the undergrowth, and at the same 

 time giving the signal as concerted, answered at once by the 

 seashore party, which joined us in half an hour, and com- 

 menced upon the labours of amputation. 



My gun-carrier and I standing as sentries on the watch, 

 the rest fell to work, and by dint of hard blows, and un- 

 remitting labours, removed in the space of a couple of hours 

 the head and a portion of the hide, which were conveyed to 

 the jolly-boat, together with certain parts of the body, care- 

 fully reserved by my followers, as sovereign remedies for 

 divers human ailments, and restoratives of decayed vigour in 

 the Asiatic constitution. 



The ground round this carcase was thickly marked with 

 the footprints of tigers, several having visited it since noon of 

 the day before ; but beyond attacking the softer parts they 

 had not yet made much impression. 



Next, we examined the sides of the pool in which the 

 three rhinos had been found, and it appeared then to have 

 been much resorted to, the tracks round it being numerous, 

 both the old and the fresh, as well as the cones of dung, two 

 and three feet high, left all round it. 



Not sorry to get out of such a tigerish situation, and re- 

 turning to the river-side, we crossed over and resumed the 

 work of hacking and hewing upon the other, which proved to 

 be a full-grown cow, whose head only was removed into the 

 jolly-boat, other parts being hard to get at by reason of the 

 mud and the rising tide. 



After a hearty lunch, I on ham and biscuits, washed down 

 with whisky and water, and my followers on cold venison 

 and water undiluted, of which last each man carried a bottle 

 (both this and the previous day), we separated again, the land 



T 



