CHAPTER II 



SOME TIGER AND PANTHER STORIES 



SHOT my first tiger in the Ranker State in the 

 Central Provinces in January 1900, under the wing 

 of a gentleman who had shot many tigers and 

 had had much experience of the sport. The lesson, 

 which I had taken most to heart, was that a 

 long shot taken in the direction of the beat 

 might drive the tiger back into the beat and lead 

 to a casualty among the beaters. There were 

 three tigers in the beat, a tigress and two three- 

 quarter grown cubs. My machan had been tied 

 in front so as to give me the first chance of a shot, 

 and my mentor sat in a machan behind me, so 

 as to shoot any animal which might escape me. 

 My machan was badly tied, especially for a 

 man shooting, as I do, from the left shoulder. 

 The string bed, which formed it, was tied with one 

 end facing the beat, and along the left of the 

 machan there were tree trunks. On this side, 

 therefore, I could fire only straight in front of 

 me, but I was too inexperienced to recognise 

 fully the unsatisfactory nature of the position, 

 and settled myself in the machan without making 

 any objection. As the beat proceeded the tigress 

 appeared and stood on my left front, looking 

 up apparently at one of the Stops. She gave me 



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