WOUNDED TIGERS, Ac. 63 



is, that a wounded beast will not charge home into a solid body of 

 men. He may commence his charge, and if any of the men were 

 to rush out in terror from the main body, it is probable the animal 

 might seize him, but I think if all stand firm he will not come on. 

 Native beaters seem to be great believers in this theory. I have 

 often known them, when a tiger breaks back or roars near them, 

 gather together in a mass and shout for the purpose of keeping the 

 beast off them. It may be said that one ought not to allow the 

 beaters to run any risk as they are unarmed. To this I would reply, 

 the beast must be killed, and if the sportsman goes in the front rank 

 I see no objection. It would not be right to force beaters against 

 their will to join in a following up, but in my experience I have 

 always found a large portion of the native beaters very plucky, and 

 often recklessly brave, requiring restraint and frequent words of 

 warning. Here I am tempted to say words in praise of native 

 shikarrees and jungle men. In this class I do not include the 

 Bombay professional native shikarry. How often have I seen them 

 unarmed do the bravest of deeds, which it would be brave even 

 for a man armed with the best modern weapons to undertake. 

 In following up especially, when I have had few men with me I have 

 also adopted the plan of moving from tree to tree and then sending 

 up a man to the top of the tree to spy around. I once wounded 

 a tiger, which got in very high reeds ; when we got within 40 yards 

 of him he commenced to growl. I moved near a tree and sent a man 

 up who reported he could see him. I climbed to the very topmost 

 bough and from that postion I could just see him and was able to 

 kill him. In hilly ground I always work from above, so as to have 

 the advantage of being on higher ground when the charge comes. 

 There can be no question I think that a wounded tiger, panther or 

 bear will charge home in the face of both barrels discharged point 

 blank into him. He will make good his charge against one or two 

 men, but not, as I said before, against a mass. Often, too, a wounded 

 beast will commence a charge, but draw back when he sees his 

 adversary facing him like a rock showing no fear. He will then 

 swerve off. The soul-stirring growl he makes whilst charging 

 is, no doubt, made for the purpose of causing fear, and in many 

 instances the bravest of men quail when suddenly hearing it. In 



