EXCITING RENCONTRE WTTJT THREE TIGERS. 1 93 
A tree close by had the marks of a tiger's claws upon it 
as high as twelve or fourteen feet. We saw by the marks 
that there were more tigers than one, and when we got to the 
nullah at the bottom of the slope, the footmarks were all over 
the place. Going carefully along it for a short distance, my 
shikarie made a sign and pointed to a bend in the nullah 
to the leftf and there I saw the striped body of one tiger and 
part, of the body of another. Creeping up to a tree a few 
paces in front and looking roimd it^ 1 saw three tigers lying at 
full length on their backs ; they were not above thirty-five 
or forty paces from me, but there was nothing vital to fire at, 
as the largest, a tigress, was the farthest from me, and she 
was lying flat on her back with all her four paws in the air. 
1 could only see her in perspective, and as I was glancing 
my eyes over- the three dozing beauties, this one suddenly 
raised her head and stared at me through her four legs. 
The ride in my hand was loaded with projectiles and 
aiming to catch her in the face about the eye I fired. At the 
report there was a rush and a scrimmage in all directions ; 
the large tigress came tearing towards, but not at me ; I 
waited till she was about twenty or twenty-five paces past 
me, going like a greyhound, and then fired. A kind of half 
stumble and a circular swing of her tail proved she was hit, 
and seizing my big Laing 1 looked round, and just across the 
nullah not fifteen paces from me, 1 saw another tiger looking 
at me in astonishment ; as its body was away from me I let 
drive at the eye. It sprang forward up the hill, but the 
second barrel brought it head over heels down again, and 
catching hold of my spare rifle, I prepared to pitch a three- 
ouncer into it as soon as it arrived in the nullah, which 
would have been about six yards from me, but it was stopped 
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