216 SINGULAR MODE OP HUNTING THE TIGER. 



been used for the purpose, and the only trouble was to join 

 them together. 



A pretty little watercourse skirted the village. We 

 followed this, through a few ploughed fields, past a large 

 banyan tree, and into the jungle. A small but dense 

 clump was selected as the spot for erecting the watch-hut, 

 and to put it up and conceal it, so that at the distance of 

 about fifty yards, only the practised eye of a woodman 

 could detect it, was the work of about half an hour. It 

 was about six feet square, and could contain besides the 

 hunter, two guns, a mattress and a blanket, all of which 

 articles were there deposited. "We then returned to the 

 village and Mr. Barrill purchased a white cow to be 

 sacrificed to the god of sport. Towards night, the Par- 

 sees led the cow and I accompanied Mr. Barrill, to the 

 hut. The poor beast was tied to a stump by a double 

 cord passed twice around her horns. My friend entered 

 .the hut, and after I had ascertained that nothing was 

 wanting for his equipment, I wished him all manner of 

 success, and accompanied the Parsees back to the village. 



Tfyat night was a restless one for Peregrine Herne his 

 sleep was a succession of dreams, in which horrible battles 

 with tigers and mangled limbs were the most conspicious 

 incidents. Twice I got up and went to the door of the 

 bamboo house, to listen if there was any indications of an 

 encounter, and once I thought I heard the report of a gun. 



