INTRODUCTORY 8 



able conditions. After days or perhaps weeks 

 of watchful Wctiting, you find yourself in a machan, 

 or platform, constructed in a tree, with the sun 

 beating hot upon your head. Sitting absolutely 

 motionless in the heat induces drowsiness, and, 

 while you are struggling against sleep and won- 

 dering whether the tiger is really in the beat, 

 a shot rings out, and then there is silence. All 

 is over, and the only thing for you to do is to 

 go and see the dead tiger, congratulate the lucky 

 sportsman, and wonder whether the game has 

 really been worth the candle. In a well-managed 

 beat it frequently happens that the only sportsman 

 who sees the tiger is the one who shoots him ; 

 and, if the beat is arranged by experts and the 

 sportsmen are good shots, a single shot very often 

 finishes the business. If the tiger is only wounded 

 and a follow is necessary, the game becomes 

 exciting and dangerous enough to satisfy anyone ; 

 and a beat, when the tiger's line of retreat has 

 been incorrectly judged, and he begins roaring 

 and trying to break out through the Stops, is 

 also very exciting. Much of the tiger-shooting, 

 however, which is done from machans is undoubt- 

 edly tame work, and, unless the sportsman follows 

 up the wounded animal himself, it is no more 

 dangerous than partridge-driving. 



A tiger-shoot with elephants is more diverting, 

 as there is more to keep you interested and amused. 

 The elephants are a constant source of interest, 

 either in the camp or in the beat ; and it is a fine 

 sight, when the mahouts, or drivers, know that they 

 have a tiger before them, to watch the elephants 

 crashing through the jungle shoulder to shoulder, 



I 



