There  was  a  precipice  a  little  beyond :  he  stopped  at  the  edge
and  looked  over ;  it  was  evidently  too  high  to  leap,  and  as  he
hesitated  on  the  brink  one  man  fired ; — the  shot  was  well  aimed.
The  tiger  turned  again,  roared  most  fearfully,  but  immediately
after  staggered  to  the  edge  of  the  cliff;  his  hind  quarters  appeared
paralysed  and  fell  over,  but  he  still  held  on  by  his  claws,  though
they  slipped  every  moment  The  leader  saw  his  opportunity,
raised  his  gun  and  fired.  Herbert  heard  the  ball  crash  into  the
skull — saw  the  grim  head  quiver  for  a  moment,  the  paws  relax
their  hold,  and  the  whole  frame  slip.  All  darted  forward  and
looked  over  :  it  was  a  fearfully  giddy  place ;  the  blue  depth  was
filled  with  boiling  mist — the  tiger's  body  was  descending  rapidly,
turning  over  and  over ;  at  last  it  hit  a  projection  and  bounded
away,  till  the  mist  appeared  to  rise  and  hide  it  from  their  view.
