the tiger, and, finding no
safety on land, it took to swimming in a broad unfordable piece of
water, a sort of deep lagoon. Old C. procured a boat that was handy,
and got a coolie to paddle him out after the tiger. He fired several
shots at the exposed head of the brute, but missed. He thought he
would wait till he got nearer and make a sure shot, as he had only one
bullet left in the boat. Suddenly the tiger turned round, and made
straight for the boat. Here was a quandary. Even if lie killed the
tiger with his single bullet it might upset the boat; the lagoon was
full of alligators, to say nothing of weeds, and there was no time to
get his heavy boots off. He felt his life might depend on the accuracy
of his aim. He fired, and killed the tiger stone dead within four or
five yards of the boat.

On one occasion, when out with our worthy district magistrate, Mr. S.,
I came on the tracks of what to all appearance, was a very large
tiger. They led over the sand close to the water's edge, and were very
distinct. I could see no returning marks, so I judged that the tiger
must have taken to the water. The stream was rapid and deep, and
midway to the further bank was a big, oblong-shaped, sandy islet, some
five or six hundred yards long, and having a few scrubby bushes
growing sparsely on it. We put our elephants into the rapid current,
and got across. The river here was nearly a quarter of a mile wide on
each side of the islet. As we emerged from the stream on to the island
we found fresh tracks of the tiger. They led us completely round the
circumference of the islet. The tiger had evidently been in quest of
food. The prints were fresh and very well defined. Finding that all
was barren on the sandy shore, he entered the current again, and
following up we found his imprint once more on the further bank,
several hundred yards down the stream.

One tiger was killed stone dead by a single bullet during one of our
annual hunts, and falling back into the water, it sank to the bottom
like lead. Being unable to find the animal, we beat all round the
place, till I suggested it might have been hit and fallen into the
river. One of the men was ordered to dive down, and ascertain if the
tiger was at the bottom. The river water is generally muddy, so that
the bottom cannot be seen. Divesting himself of puggree, and girding
up his loins, the diver sank gently to the bottom, but presently
reappeared in a palpable funk, puffing and blowi