after
tiger we refrained from shooting at them. The Basinattea Tuppoo, which
was the scene of our present hunt, were famous jungles, and many a
tiger had been shot there by the Purneah Club in bygone days. The
annual ravages of the impetuous river, had however much changed the
face of the country; vast tracts of jungle had been obliterated by
deposits of sand from its annual incursions. Great skeletons of trees
stood everywhere, stretching out bare and unsightly branches, all
bending to the south, shewing the mighty power of the current, when it
made its annual progress of devastation over the surrounding country.
Now, however, it was like a thin streak of silver, flashing back the
fierce rays of the meridian sun. Through the blinding clouds of fine
white sand we could at times, during a temporary lull, see its ruined
surface. And we were glad when we came on the tracks of the tiger,
which led straight from the stream, in the direction of some thick
tree jungle at no great distance. We gladly turned our backs to the
furious clouds of dust and gusts of scorching wind, and led by a
Nepaulee tracker, were soon crashing heavily through the jungle.

When hunting with elephants, the Nepaulese beat in a dense line, the
heads of the elephants touching each other. In this manner we were now
proceeding, when S. called out, 'There goes the tiger.'

We looked up, and saw a very large tiger making off for a deep
watercourse, which ran through the jungle some 200 yards ahead of the
line. We hurried up as fast as we could, putting out a fast elephant
on either flank, to see that the cunning brute did not sneak either up
or down the nullah, under cover of the high banks. This, however, was
not his object. We saw him descend into the nullah, and almost
immediately top the further bank, and disappear into the jungle
beyond.

Pressing on at a rapid jolting trot, we dashed after him in hot
pursuit. The jungle seemed somewhat lighter on ahead. In the distance
we could see some dangurs at work breaking up land, and to the right
was a small collection of huts with a beautiful riband of green crops,
a perfect oasis in the wilderness of sand and parched up grass.
Forming into line we pressed on. The tiger was evidently lying up,
probably deterred from breaking across the open by the sight of the
dangurs at work. My heart was bounding with excitement. We were all
intensely eager, and thought no more of the hot wind and blinding
dust. Just t