Thomas County cat., 1886-11-18

drag it into some neighboring jungle
thicker and denser than that imme-
diately around the village.
strength possessed by the tiger than
the way in which he carries his victim
away. / remember the first time was
shown where tiger had dragged a
full-grown bullock. Icould not believe
it possible: and it was not until after
we had killed the robber-only an Or
dinary-sized tigress-and l had care
fully gone over on foot the ground
where she had dragged her prey. that
found that she had not only dragged
the dead bullock-an animal, / should
think. considerably beyond her own
weight-Over very rough ground and
through a dense cane-brake, but that
in some places, as the marks showed,
she must actually have lifted the fore
quarters of the bullock off the ground
in her mouth, and have walked several
yards with it in that position. When
the victim has been dragged to what
the tiger considers position of securi-
ty it will sit down and make a good
meal, and then retire short distance
from its prey to some particularly thick
bush or tuft of grass. and there remain
until the following night, and then re-
, turn for another meal In consequence
of this well-known habit "a KILL as
it Is called, is the best of all khubber.
and in such cases, if the tiger has not
been disturbed, the sportsman is almost
sure to find him lying somewhere close
to the carcass. and if his arrangements
are well made is pretty sure to get a
shot at him.
Our shikarees, stimulated by liberal
backsheesh when their news resulted
in bag. used often to bring us in
| khubber; but sometimes the news was
not very good; and when this was the
case, the less ardent sportsmen of our
number would frequently refuse to 90
out, and would make over their turn
| to me. / never refused, for l was
young and enthusiastic enough to love
the fun and the excitement Of the hunt,
even when our expedition resulted in
no bag; and did not care for the chaff
with which my sedater comrades would
greet me on my return. Sometimes,
however, the laugh was ON my side:
but was wise enough. with view to
future contingencies, not to indulge in
it too much.
We had been having very fair sport
on and off for about six weeks, and the
animals in the jungles close around
the station seemed to have been all
killed off or driven away. for a whole
week passed and no khubber good
enough to tempt even me did our shi-
karees bring. 1t was the seventh blank
day, and rs we sat at our chOta hGzri
(early morning cup of some invigor-
ating but harmless beverage), under
the shade of splendid mango-tree
which grew conveniently close to our
mess-hOuse veranda, my chum and
were discussing the necessity Of taking
a weeks trip across the river which
skirted our station, and were trying to
cajole our companions into letting us
have the use of the elephants for
| so long time. We had nearly sue
ceeded in persuading them of the use
lessness of expecting to get any
more shooting close to Julbarri, and
two of the least enthusiastic of our
Nimrods had actually given in. when in
to the compound and right up to our
table who should dash but Jamala, the
very best and most trustworthy of all
our shikarees! Almost breathless. he
stammered out: 'Sahib, sahib, two
such huge tigers! Their pugs are as
big as that" and he described with the
end of the stick he held in his hand
figure in the dust, intended to pOr-
tray the size of their footprints. which
| would have done credit to a we'll
grown mammoth, "They have killed
bullock in the kala Jungle, only six
miles off; and am sure they were still
there when 1 left half an hour ago. l
ordered the elephants to be got ready
as passed the lines
Here was news with a vengeance:
but alas. it was my turn to stay in
environments; and with such splendid
khubber as this could not. of course,
even hint the suggestion of an ex-
change. 1t was the custom of those
going out, to borrow all the firearms
of those remaining behind; SO l and
Castleton. who was my comrade in
misfortune, made over our Joe MantOn
guns and our Purdeys to our luckier
companions, and wished them good
speed with the best grace we could
muster; and if we betrayed our feel
ings little by throwing after them
the parting exhortation: mind you
don't miss the fifteen-footer:" well, l
really think we ought to be forgiven.
Castleton was a married man: and l
must crave the ladies' pardon for
emitting in my list of our Julbarri
residents the really charming Mrs
Castleton and her fascinating sister,
Miss Jervoise. AS soon as the hunters
had gone, Castleton turned to me. and
said: ''YOu had better come over and
lunch with us. Watson. You'll only
be breaking your heart over visions OF
those two fabulously footed tigers, if
you lunch at mess alone.
l thanked him; and two o'clock
found me receiving the commissera-
tiOns of the two fair ladies, while they
pressed upon me the usual profuse
hospitality of an Indian luncheon. We
had reached the dessert stage, and
Mrs. Castleton was just pressing me to
taste some specially delicious plantains
which neighboring rajah had sent
her the day before, when the bearer
came in. and, making a salaam. said to
Castleton: "A man has just come
from that little hamlet of Goree: he
wants the sahib LOG to 90 ont and shoot