LETTING OFF A TIGRESS 



my post I gave a low whistle. She halted at once at the 

 sound, offering me a splendid shot, and at a distance of 

 not more than thirty yards. I would not fire, however, as 



I was anxious for my friend M to get the shot, for he 



had seemed very keen, and I knew had never seen a tiger 

 in the wild state before. My whistling had the effect de- 

 sired, for presently the beast turned to the right, and going 

 leisurely up the bank, passed immediately under the tree 



occupied by M . I was congratulating myself on 



having, as I thought, procured him his first tiger, when to 

 my amazement, I saw the beast pass on unmolested, and 

 disappear into some thick jungle beyond. Totally at a 

 loss to understand his object in thus deliberately allowing 

 the tiger to escape, I shouted to him asking what had 

 happened, and " Why he had not fired at the beast." The 

 last query being somewhat more peremptory in tone, and 

 less politely worded, as was only natural after what he had 

 — or rather hadn't — done ! 



His answer to my question was, if possible, more 



•ravating still, for his reply was, " I don't know," to 

 iich he added, "the tiger has gone away," seemingly 

 quite surprised that the beast should have taken advan- 

 tage of the opportunity he had given him to escape I 



However, he explauied to us later that he was so 

 taken aback at the sudden appearance of the tigress, that 

 he had never thought of firing at her, but that he was 

 quite satisfied as he could now say he had actually seen a 

 tiger ! Though this was little consolation to me, who 



could so easily have shot her, or for our friend VV , 



who would have given a great deal for such a chance, and 

 was, moreover, a good shot. It was a great disappoint- 

 ment, for the feat of having bagged two tigers in a district like 

 Dhanvar, where they were now so scarce and sought after, 

 would have been an event long to be remembered. How- 

 ever, M being such a good fellow, we spared him the 



rating he so richly deserved, being quite certain, moreover, 

 that when he realized what a chance he had lost his remorse 

 would be in itself suflicicnt punishment. 



Our beaters and shikaris too, were greatly disappointed, 

 and, not unnaturally, felt somewhat aggrieved, for as they 

 said, '' We take all the risk and trouble to beat up a tiger 



189 



