A TIGER HUNT. l57 



phants, to have a quiet look at them, we came to a Httle nullah,* 

 and there, in the level, sandy bed of the stream, was the trail of a 

 large tiger. 



The men carefully examined the huge tracks in the wet sand, 

 compared notes a moment, and declared the trail was fresh. Then 

 I examined it for myself, looked wise, and said ; " Oh, yes, it is ; 

 very fresh, indeed." Vera looked anxiously about a moment, ex- 

 amined the boi-e of my rifle doubtfully, tried to measure it with 

 the end of his little finger, and finally asked me very seriously 

 whether I would dare to fire at a big tiger with that small rifle. I 

 said, " Yes, certainly ; just show me one and see." I did not for a 

 moment allow myself to hope for such good luck as a meeting 

 with the animal that made those huge tracks, and a shot at him. 

 But without a moment's delay we stai-ted to follow up the trail. 



The little creek ran through perfectly level and very open for- 

 est. Its bed was about eight feet below the level, forty feet wide, 

 and almost dry. The tiger had gone loafing leisurely along down 

 the bed of the stream, walking in the shallow water every now and 

 then, crossing from side to side, and occasionally sticking his 

 claws into the bank, as if to keep them in practice. Yera led the 

 way as usual, I followed close at his heels, and we stole along as 

 silently as shadows. 



We had followed the trail about a mile, when we came to a 

 clump of bamboos growing in a sharp bend in the stream. Vera 

 stopped short, gi'asped me by the arm, and pointed through the 

 clump. He had the habit of gi-asping my arm with one hand, and 

 pointing with the other whenever he discovered any game, and I 

 could always tell the size and ferocity of the animal by the strength 

 of his gi-asp. This time he gave my arm such a fierce grip I knew 

 he must have found a tiger. 



Sure enough, there was Old Stripes in all his glory, and only 

 thirty yards away ! The midday sun shone full upon him, and a 

 more splendid object I never saw in a forest. His long, jet-black 

 stripes seemed to stand out in reUef, like bands of black velvet, 

 while the black and white markings upon his head were most 

 beautiful. In size and height he seemed perfectly immense, and 

 my first thought was, " Great Caesar ! He is as big as an ox ! " 



* 1 1 1 vr,. 



Xullah ' is an Indian term of the most comprehensive signification, 

 used in speaking of any channel or water-course, and applied alike to a small 

 river or deep ravine, to the sandy bed of a dried-up stream, or a wet gutter." 

 — A. C. McMastek. 



