TIGER SLAYER BY ORDER 



Here, after drawing lots for places, we took up our position, 

 climbing stealthily into our respective trees, and taking 

 all precautions to avoid making any noise for fear of dis- 

 turbing the beasts. 



As the beaters advanced I saw one of the tigers coming, 

 creeping along directly for my position, but owing to the 

 density of the covert, I could only catch occasional glimpses 

 of him, for the striped skin of a tiger harmonizes so extra- 

 ordinarily with the surrounding foliage as a rule, that it is 

 often very difficult to detect him. 



Just in front of my tree, however, was a clear space 

 about five yards in width, so I determined not to fire till 

 the beast could reach this opening, and thus give me a more 

 certain shot ; but while waiting for this I heard one of 

 the stops suddenly snap a twig and guessed at once that 

 the tiger was trying to sneak up one of the side paths. 



It was a moment of intense excitement, for everything 

 now depended as to whether the stop had succeeded in 

 preventing the beast from turning into the side path or 

 not. Presently, however, there was a roar and a rush 

 and the next moment the tiger appeared, immediately 

 below me, going at a fast gallop, and in another instant 

 would have disappeared into the dense covert beyond, but 

 realizing the necessity for immediate action, I fired at once, 

 and the heavy bullet from my Rigby Express striking the 

 base of the neck divided the spine. 



Death was instantaneous, and much to my delight the 

 mighty beast sank down on his tracks. As the report from 

 my rifle went echoing through the jungle, the other tiger, 

 or rather tigress, for such she proved to be, broke back 

 through the beaters, fortunately without doing them any 

 harm. 



We took up her tracks, finally marking her down in an 

 open ravine, the sloping banks of which were studded with 

 thick trees and curra — a coarse kind of reed. 



We drew lots again for places, and took up our position, 



mine being the upper end of the covert, while W and 



M were on the banks to the left and right of me 



respectively, the best post having fallen to M . 



On hearing the beaters advance the tigress came 

 trotting down the nullah, and when she was almost opposite 

 138 



