the open. After lunch
we made another grand attempt. We promised the coolies double pay if
they roused the tigress to flight. The elephant was forced again into
the nurkool very much against his will, and the mahout was promised a
reward if we got the tigress. The din this time was prodigious, and
strange to say they got quite close up to the big withered tree
without the usual roar and charge. This seemed somewhat to stimulate
the beaters and the old elephant. The coolies redoubled their cries,
smote among the reeds with their heavy staves, and shouted
encouragement to each other. Right in the middle of the line, as it
seemed to us from the outside, there was then a fierce roar and a
mighty commotion. Cries of fear and consternation arose, and forth
poured the coolies again, helter skelter, like so many rabbits from a
warren when the weasel or ferret has entered the burrow. Right before
me a huge old boar and a couple of sows came plunging forth. I let
them get on a little distance from the brake, and then with my
'Express' I rolled over the tusker and one of his companions, and just
then the General shouted out to me, 'There's the tiger!'

I looked in the direction of his levelled gun, and there at the edge
of the jungle was a handsome half-grown tiger cub, beautifully marked,
his tail switching angrily from side to side, and his twitching
retracted lips and bristling moustache drawn back like those of a
vicious cat, showing his gleaming polished fangs and teeth.

The General had a fine chance, took a steady aim, and shot the young
savage right through the heart. The handsome young tiger gave one
convulsive leap into the air and fell on his side stone dead. We could
not help a cheer, and shouted for Fullerton, who soon came running up.
We got some coolies together, but they were frightened to go near the
dead animal, as we could plainly hear the old vixen inside snarling
and snapping, for all the world like an angry terrier. We heard her
half-suppressed growl and snarl. She was evidently in a fine temper.
How we wished for a couple of staunch elephants to hunt her out of the
cane. It was no use, however, the elephant would not go near the
jungle again. The coolies were thoroughly scared, and had got plenty
of pork and venison to eat, so did not care for anything else. We
collected a lot of tame buffaloes, and tried to drive them through the
jungle, but the coolies had lost heart, and would not exert
themselves; so w