Year: 1878

here's old Sweet Sixteen worth more
than all the bundle"


By "Sweet Sixteen | meant my six
teen-sh ooting Henry rife. my companion
in several hunts.


"Sahib, see," replied Mohammed.
"Maybe glad to hab rocket near by
soon."


| ceased to argue with Mohammed,
and we proceeded in silence along the
path The east was all aglow with the
fervent blush that heralds the rising
sun, the dew was sparkling ON every |
tree and bush of the jungle, and myriads
of birds were singing their morning mel
odies of praise to their great Creator.


We walked briskly along the road
that wound through the jungle to the
lonely tank, and just as we arrived there
up leaped the broad, red sun, pouring a
blaze of gold on the surface of the water.


The tank was an immense artificial
reservoir, built in times past by some
pious prince to preserve the blessing of
abundant water in that dry climate. AS
we came near it was all alive with wa
ter-fowl.


Ducks and wild geese innumerable, of
various bright colors, swan to and fro,
Cabling loudly. Peacocks screamed dis
cordantly from the encircling jungle,
and monkeys and parrots kept up their
harsh chorus.


At the further end of the tank, nearly
quarter of mile long, stood huge
elephant, drinking peacefully, while sew
eral herds of deer and antelopes shared
the enjoyment plainly saw that it
was useless to approach by the front,
and therefore, motioning to Mohammed
to follow me, l plunged into the jungle,
intending to make circuit and inter-
cept the elephant.


But had miscalculated the Difficult
ties of the path. Ere long l had lost
the direction of the tank, hidden so soon
from view in the thick jungle, and was
wandering | knew not where, among
copses of low bushes interspersed with
taller trees and little open glades, where
the coarse. yellow suyput grass lay mat
ted all over the ground.


| toiled on for some time. thinking l
was parallel with the edge of the tank,
but could see no opening anywhere,
and at last l turned around to inquire
the way of my follower. But Mohammed
had disappeared. Whether he was scar
ed at my temerity in venturing alone
into tiger haunted jungle. or had fail
ed to keep up with me on account of his
heavier load, l could not tell All l
knew was that was alone and lost In
the jungle.


| began to feel little nervous, but |
pooh-poohed the thought of danger. l
would remember the direction to the
tank, thought, and push toward it. l
tried to calculate the distance of the sun
by this time from the east, and started
in the direction | thought the tank ought
to be. l stole cautiously and quietly on,
not daring to make much noise on ac-
count of the supposed vicinity of tigers,
and l began to fatter myself 1 should
reach the tank safely, when I suddenly
halted spellbound.


Right before me, within ten feet, lay
huge royal tiger, as large as an OK,
fast asleep.


The old rascal had been out all night,
and was enjoying his morning nap. curl
ed up like an old tabby cat. He had not
heard my footsteps, and halted in dead
silence. He lay right in my path, and


| could not pass him without waking


him. 1 was afraid to lose my direction,


for fear might wander ad intfnitum in


the devious tangled jungle. Still /


could not pass on without disturbing the


tiger. 1 would have tried bullet, but,


from the position in which he lay, ]
J should have probably missed his brain



or heart. | stepped softly back to re-
J treat, keeping my gaze fixed on the tt.
ger, when, as luck would have it, my
very first step brought me on a dry
stick, which snapped in two with a loud
, noise.


In an instant the tiger awoke.
; Only partially, however. He was daz
ed with the light in his eyes, and glared


around with an inquiring stare No time
5 was to be lost.


: was not twelve feet from the hug,


brute, and well within his spring.
sent Sweet Sixteen" to my shoulder
f and aimed right between the fierce, greer
7 eyes, as the tiger half rolled up on hi
3 side with his head raised. AS pulled


the trigger, the flash and smoke obscur
ed everything from my vision for mo
f ment, but ! heard no sound and as tn
< smoke cleared away, beheld the stripe,
a monarch of the jungle lying dead befor
r me.


g But had scarcely time to note this
a when, horror on horrors up started iv
7, more tigers within radius of twenty 0


thirty feet. and stood staring at me i
h apnarent astonishment Thov oould M