Year: 1874

IN extract from yette, written by Cotone Bayot from
Nuyode Central Prorince, India.


First, | must tell you this is one of the
finest districts in India for shooting-end-
less forests and hills full of wild beasts;
then must tell you that you cannot shoot
except on foot, practice l have always
looked upon, and still look upon, when
shooting tigers, as an act of folly, although
l am guilty Of the same, and in spite of
having desperately made vow to leave it
off, find myself sat it again" On the
second day after arriving at my camp Twas
walking by the bed of the Cane river,
through some heavy bush willow covert,
when l came upon girl, with her child,
fishing. l went up to her and told her she
was doing very foolish thing, for tigers
were about, and l advised her to go away;
she laughed and told me no tiger would
take her, and she had done it for long
time. l warned her again, and went on
my way. got to my tents about five P.
NJ, and an hour after saw a man running





said, half an hour after 1 left, the poor
girl had been carried off by tiger but the
child had escaped. 1t was the work of
moment to get my guns and men out, and
took ten men off to the place at once, not
to shoot the beast, for it was too late and
dark to wake up tigers then. l put the
ten men up trees to remain there all night
and see if the tiger left the place, and pro-
missed to be there at daylight. knew, of
course, that the unfortunate girl was eaten
up long before l got there; so it was of no
use doing anything else. At daylight l
went off, and cautiously going up to tree
after tree where l had placed the men,
found that he was cat homc;" he had
come out to drink and retired into some
thick covert. l sent all my men away but
two, with spare rifles, and approached the
covert very quietly and carefully; when
within ten PAGES of it l heard a grumbling
sound, and had just time to cock my rifle,
when out he came with rush clean at
me; but, by steady GOODNESS, l gave him a
ball. or rather shell, through the head,
which burst and blew it to bits, laying him
dead. My men came up to congratulate
me, and | was talking to them, when to
my astonishment, heard roar to my
right, near, and on tuning around saw
another huge tiger walking quietly down
towards me. All the beaters set up shout
and bolted which haste unfortunately
turned the tiger, and he was making off up
a ravine, when l gave him ball behind,
but for that day lost him, though track
ed him by his blood for long way The
next day heard of another tiger having
killed cow about seven miles off. l went
and found it all right; going up cautiously
to the hill | saw a monster sneaking away
about forty yards from me. gave him
ball, and round he came at me like a
demon. / was in a narrow gorge and did
not half like it. gave him another ball,
which turned him in the grass, and l lost
sight of him. A wounded tiger is always
most formidable, and it is fearfully dan
gerous moving about in their vicinity; so
did not stir, in hopes he might come
back to me and give me the advantage, or
that should hear him growing his death
song ont; but he did neither. A man in
tree said he had made up the hill and down
the other side; so off | went, ordering all
the beaters out of the jungle to the top of
the highest hill, with directions to stay
there together till sent for them. | went
off with my two shikarees and keepers
with spare rifles, to look where he had
gone. l was moving most gingerly, in
horrid funk, when roar and rush came at
once from the grass not ten yards from Inc.
gave him two balls righ. and left, slap in
the chest, as he charged. but it did not stop
him; and l had only just time to snatch
my single shell rifle from the keeper and
| again, which burst inside and smashed his
shoulder all to bits; he rolled over within
three PAGES of me, biting and tearing the
| ground. | took another rifle and waited
on him, for it was grand sight to see his
| rage. | then saw that the reason he could
not come on, was his hind leg was smashed
on the same side by one of my first bull
lets, which passed through his chest, and
he could not get up with two legs broken
on one side This was most fortunate, for
had the shell not broken that shoulder
nothing could have saved me He must
have come home before | could have given
him another barrel. | finished him with
ball through the head, and more magnfi-
cent brute l never saw. l was very glad
to have escaped, and then thought what an
ass | was for running such risks. How


ever, my next lark with them was a most
wonderful business, and Gods mercy alone
saved me. l heard of another'hill by the
bed of the river, all immense boulder
stones, and heavy bush willow jungle. OFF
!. went, and having taken up position at
the end of sort of island, told the beaters
to 90 Up the bank all around and try if he
was there, by throwing in volleys of stones.
was standing quietly waiting, when to
my horror three huge tigers walked out
| touching one another. There was no re-
| treating, the beasts saw me in their road,
and knew must fight it out; so opened
|
to charge, sent shell on the point of his
shoulder and smashed it to bits. So close
were the tigers to each other that he turned
around and laid hold of his neighbor, and
all three returned, to my delight, into the
covert, growing, roaring and fighting; but
it was but for moment-two came out
rain at me. l gave them ball each
most steadily and coolly placed, the first
turning up the bank to my right, and
the otifer to my left, and there was left
in most charming position with three
wounded tigers around me, and could see
none, and Of course did not dare to move.
loaded my single shell rifle like lightning,
and had only put Oh the cap when heard
a move above and behind me, and one
tiger, OF rather tigress, coming down upon
me. | turned sharp and sent a shell smash
! ing through her side, and she attempted to
rush up the bank again, but fell backwards