ngles, some years ago, a very sad accident occurred. A
party were out tiger-shooting, and during one of the beats, a cowherd
hearing the noise of the advancing elephants, crouched behind a bush,
and covered himself with his blanket. At a distance he looked exactly
like a pig, and one of the shooters mistook him for one. He fired, and
hit the poor herd in the hip. As soon as the mistake was perceived,
everything was done for the poor fellow. His wound was dressed as well
as they could do it, and he was sent off to the doctor in a dhoolie, a
a sort of covered litter, slung on a pole and carried on men's shoulders.
It was too late, the poor coolie died on the road, from shock and loss
of blood. Such mistakes occur very seldom, and this was such a natural
one, that no one could blame the unfortunate sportsman, and certainly
no one felt keener regret than he did. The coolie's family was amply
provided for, which was all that remained to be done.

This is the only instance I know, where fatal results have followed
such an accident. I have known several cases of beaters peppered with
shot, generally from their own carelessness, and disregard of orders,
but a salve in the shape of a few rupees has generally proved the most
effective ointment. I have known some rascals say, they were sorry
they had not been lucky enough to be wounded, as they considered a
punctured cuticle nothing to set against the magnificent douceur of
four or five rupees. One impetuous scamp, being told not to go in
front of the line during a beat near Burgamma, replied to the warning
caution of his jemadar,

'Oh never mind, if get shot I will get backsheesh.'

Whether this was a compliment to the efficacy of our treatment (by the
silver ointment), or to the inaccuracy and harmlessness of our shooting,
I leave the reader to judge.

Our bag during this lucky day, including the tigress killed by my shot
on the river bank, was as follows: three tigers, one boar, four deer,
including the young one taken alive, eight sandpipers, nine plovers,
two mallards, and two teal.

CHAPTER XXIII.

We resume the beat.--The hog-deer.--Nepaulese villages.--Village
granaries.--Tiger in front.--A hit! a hit!--Following up the wounded
tiger.--Find him dead.--Tiffin in the village.--The Patair jungle.
--Search for tiger.--Gone away!--An elephant steeplechase in pursuit.
--Exciting chase.--The Morung jungle.--Magnificent scenery.--Skinning
the tiger.--Incidents of ti