THE HiaHER NARBADl 277 



over about five miles of country, wliere they found beef 

 so plentiful and easily got tbat tbey seldom wandered 

 above that distance from their usual haunts, which lay 

 in a mesh of most difficult ravines bordering the Narbada, 

 and running up towards the hills. The covert here was 

 of the densest description, though thinner, of course, at 

 this time of the year than at any other. On my arrival 

 in the neighbourhood, I was immediately sohcited to go 

 and rid it of these pests, and every assistance promised. 

 So I pitched my camp at the village nearest to their haunts, 

 and began to lay plans for their destruction. There was 

 no need to tie animals out as baits for the tigers, as is 

 sometimes done, for here they killed a cow or two every 

 other day, although, food being so plentiful, they seldom 

 remained long near the carcases. The third evening after 

 I came, two cows were killed about a mile from camp. 

 I would not allow them to be touched, trusting that, having 

 eaten well during the night, the tigers would lie up in some 

 place close at hand, to which we might track them next 

 morning, and beat them out in the heat of the day. 



When any tracking has to be done, it is of great import- 

 ance to be at the spot very early in the morning, as the 

 breezes, which generally rise shortly after daybreak, are 

 apt to destroy the fine edges of the impressions left, and 

 by nine o'clock it is often impossible to tell whether the 

 marks are old or new. We accordingly started for the 

 " murrees " before dayUght, and had no difficulty in finding 

 the place, which was deeply marked by the feet of both 

 tigers and cows, and a broad trail led off in the direction 

 the tigers had dragged the carcases. Following this up, 

 it led us shortly into a ravine, where we found the remains 

 of both cows deposited in different narrow clefts, where 

 the tigers had retired to dine at their leisure. Of one the 

 head alone was left, and the head and fore-quarters of the 

 other. The carcases had evidently been most scientifically 

 cleaned out by these professional butchers before setting 

 to work, the dung and other refuse being carefully piled 

 up at a little distance, so as not to come between the wind 

 and their nobihty during the repast. Vultures, kites, and 

 crows had already commenced to demoHsh the remainder 



