230 THE HIGHLANDS OF CENTRAL INDIA 



unable to move about that want of otter game bad driven 

 ber to kill ber first buman prey. I knew wben I entered 

 tbe ravine tbat tbis was ber regular baunt; for, tbougb 

 every busb outside bad been stripped of its berries by a 

 colony of monkeys, I saw tbem percbed on tbe rocks above 

 tbe ravine wistfully looking down on tbe busbes at tbe 

 bottom, wbicb bad strewed tbe ground witb tbeir ripened 

 fruit. Tbey accompanied me along tbe ravine on tbe top 

 of tbe rocks, as if perfectly knowing tbe value of tbeir 

 assistance in getting tbe tigress — and better markers I 

 never bad. I sbould probably bave passed out at tbe 

 top witbout seeing ber, as sbe was lying close under a 

 sbelving bank, but for tbe profane language of an ancient 

 gray-bearded Hamiman, wbo posted bimself rigbt above 

 ber, and swore away until be fairly turned ber out of ber 

 comfortable bertb. Tbe excitement of tbe monkeys soon 

 told me sbe "was on tbe move; and presently I saw ber 

 round face looking at me from bebind a tree witb a forked 

 trunk, tbrougb tbe cleft of wbicb I caugbt sigbt of about 

 a square foot of ber striped bide. It seemed about tbe 

 rigbt place, so covering it carefully I put in a sbell at about 

 forty yards, and sbe collapsed tbere and tben, forming a 

 beautiful spread-eagle in tbe bottom of tbe nala. Tbe 

 youngster now started out, roaring as if be were tbe biggest 

 tiger in tbe country ; and, tbougb I fired a couple of snap 

 sbots at Mm as be galloped tbrougb some tbick busbes, I 

 could not stop bim. It is important to extinguisb a brute, 

 bowever young, wbo bas once tasted buman flesb; and I 

 followed bim up till it grew nearly dark, wben I returned 

 to tbe ravine to take bome tbe tigress, and tbere I foimd 

 my monkey friends tucking into tbe berries in all directions, 

 and bopping about close to tbe body of tbe dead tigress. 

 Tbe cub was met, mucb exbausted witb its run, by a gang 

 of wood-cutters, and killed witb tbeir axes. 



Tbe barking of deer, and tbe alarmed cry of peafowl, 

 also frequently indicate tbe movements of a tiger. Tbe 

 sambar, tbe spotted deer, tbe barking deer, and tbe little 

 four-borned antelope, all "bark" violently at a tiger 

 suddenly appearing in tbe daytime. Once baving marcbed 

 nearly a tbousand miles exploring in tbe forests almost 



