TIGER-HUNTING AT NIGHT
HUNTING ADVENTURES IN INDIA

Tiger-Hunting at night

We had just passed through a village at some distance from any jungle, and had been assured by the villagers that tigers were unknown among them, when we were addressed by a man in charge of some cattle, who begged that we would shoot the tigers which had killed several of his beasts. Tiger-hunting at night On our doubting his statement, he drew our attention to numerous footprints, almost obliterated by those of the cattle which had passed over them. They were in all directions, close tip to the houses, and the tigers seemed to have been walking about the village all night. We were much astonished at this, for I had never before known tigers wander so close to human habitations. The man informed us that they came from a belt of ravines and jungle about two miles farther on, and about a mile from the bank of the Nerbudda. He accompanied us for some distance, and showed us their tracks, both new and old, along some cart-ruts formed in bringing grain from the fields. As the moon was near the full, we determined to sit tip in trees at night, and rode on to our camp to make the necessary preparations. We at once sent off men, who erected two platforms in trees about half a mile apart. Round the edges of these seats we had screens formed of boughs, selecting those with soft leaves, to prevent any rustling or noise. Goats were tied with strong ropes on the south side of the trees, about fifteen yards from our hiding-places, in such positions that, as the moon came round, they would remain clear of the shade. My tree was on the path, that of my companion nearer the village, both in open cultivated ground, but clear of crops. About nine o'clock I saw a tiger come across the field and stand in the clear moonlight about 100 yards from my tree. I had made tip my mind that he would come along the road and I should get a good shot, when suddenly another tiger came skylarking at him, and, with a playful growl, they both ran across and disappeared behind a rising ground. I had waited for about half an hour, hoping to see them again, when I heard my friend fire, and soon after some men came to call me, and I left my tree and joined him. The tigers had come close to where he was posted, and one of them came straight at his goat, sprang on it, and, having killed it, walked forward for a few paces with his tail straight up in the air. At that moment my friend fired, hut unfortunately missed, and the tiger went off at speed. In his way lay a cactus hedge nine or ten feet in height, and this he appeared to have taken in his spring, for we found the footprints deep in the light soil on the far side. The tigers did not return. During the next hot season, when we were quartered at Baroda, Hayward and I organized another expedition to the Toorun Mall hill, in the Akranee Pergunnab of Kandesh. In the dry bed of a river, close to the village, was a water-hole used by the cattle, and we were informed that a tiger came there every night to drink. We had been out all day without getting a shot; and on our return late in the evening, we found that some men, who had promised to have a platform erected in a neighboring tree, had decamped, leaving their work undone. The moon did not rise till after nine o'clock, so we remained till then in the village, and then went down to the water-hole, where we had a small breastwork of boughs placed round the foot of an old tamarind tree. In the open space in the bed of the river we tied up a goat, and throwing our blankets into our hiding-place, we arranged our guns, and dismissed all our attendants. As we came down from the village, we had heard the tiger growling on the hillside; but though we remained on the alert a long time, we saw nothing of him. It had been arranged that if the tiger came, and sprang on the goat, we should lie still till he commenced to eat, when we were to rise on our knees and deliver our fire. Altogether, it was rather an insane proceeding; but we were young in those clays. About midnight Hayward was lying fast asleep, when I heard the growl of the tiger at a short distance on the hill behind us. I at once aroused my companion, and we could see by the movements of the goat that it was in a great state of trepidation. Presently we heard the footsteps of the tiger advancing on the dry leaves, and then all was still, save the piteous bleat of the goat as it strained at the rope. The tiger, I believe, stalked him behind the very tree under which we lay, and in a few seconds he made his rush. We kept well clown ; there was a struggle among the shingle, and then all was still. Thinking that the time had arrived for us to shoot, we raised our heads and saw - no tiger - no goat - no anything! The rope had given way, and the tiger had carried his prey under some thick bushes, on the far side of the river-bed. We could hear him crunching up the bones as he made his meal; hut he was in deep shade, and we could see nothing. About two hours after he moved to a muddy puddle, and drank. We then got an imperfect view, and had a snap shot at him, but he got away untouched; and we returned to the village much disappointed. Next night we had a platform put up in a tree at another spot, and again tied up our scape-goat. We took up our positions, and had both been asleep, when, on waking, I looked over at the goat, and saw that it was tumbling about in a peculiar manner. I roused my friend, and after looking long in the imperfect light, we made out a panther, lying by the dead goat, with his teeth in its throat. As the beast lay on the yellow grass, it was with great difficulty that we could distinguish it. We got our rifles on him, and fired together, on which the panther gave one grunt, and rushed off among the underwood. On descending next morning, we examined the ground, and found both the bullets in the earth, within a few inches of each other, and on the very spot where the panther had been. We searched about, but did not find him; and next morning we moved our camp. Two days after, some villagers, observing vultures attracted to the spot, again went to the ground, and found the remains of the panther lying among some dead leaves. We must have passed close to him in our former search, but his yellow jacket being so similar to the dry grass and leaves, we had failed to see him, and thereby lost his skin. 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