Pelts 



uproar at once, and seizing the nearest gun and 

 slipping into a pair of slippers, I rushed out 

 ' The stream, it came from the stream ! ' I heard 

 an excited servant crying, and I dashed in that 

 direction. There was a nearly full moon sailing 

 over the tree-tops, and by its light I rushed 

 towards the nullah. 



When near the bank I descried a tottering 

 form approaching me. I brought the rifle to the 

 ready, but soon dropped it again. It was a man, 

 and turned out to be the bhisti or waterman. 

 Never before or since have I seen a native's face 

 the colour of his. A dull greyish white, terror- 

 stricken countenance gazed out at me as he 

 tottered by >on the path to the camp, the only 

 sense left to him apparently being that of 

 direction. I followed him slowly back with one 



eye behind me. Near the tents we met H 



hurrying towards us, clothed only in an immense 

 bath towel and a pair of slippers, but armed 

 with his heaviest rifle. Patient questioning 

 elicited the fact that the bhisti had not drawn 

 enough water during the daylight to satisfy the 

 cook's wants, and had consequently been sent 

 out in fear and trembling to the river after dark. 

 When in the act of filling his tin a large tiger 

 had walked down the opposite bank to drink in 

 the moonlight within fifteen paces of him. 



For several seconds tiger and man gazed into 

 each other's eyes, then, dropping his tin, the 



249 



