Howdahs and howdah-ropes.--Mussulman custom.--Killing animals for food.--Mysterious appearance of natives when an animal is killed. --Fastening dead tigers to the pad.--Present mode wants improving. --Incident illustrative of this.--Dangerous to go close to wounded tigers.--Examples.--Footprints of tigers.--Call of the tiger.--Natives and their powers of description.--How to beat successfully for tiger. --Description of a beat.--Disputes among the shooters.--Awarding tigers.--Cutting open the tiger.--Native idea about the liver of the tiger.--Signs of a tiger's presence in the jungle.--Vultures.--Do they scent their quarry or view it?--A vulture carrion feast. The best howdahs are light, single-seated ones, with strong, light frames of wood and cane-work, and a moveable seat with a leather strap, adjustable to any length, on which to lean back. They should have a strong iron rail all round the top, covered with leather, with convenient grooves to receive the barrels of the guns, as they rest in front, ready to either hand. In front there should be compartments for different kinds of cartridges; and pockets and lockers under the seat, and at the back, or wherever there is room. Outside should be a strong iron step, to get out and in by easily, and a strong iron ring, through which to pass the rope that binds the howdah to the elephant. You cannot be too careful with your howdah ropes. A chain is generally used as an auxiliary to the rope, which should be of cotton, strong and well twisted, and should be overhauled daily, to see that there is no chafing. It is passed round the foot-bars of the howdah, and several times round the belly of the elephant. Another rope acts as a crupper behind, being passed through rings in the terminal frame-work of the howdah, and under the elephant's tail; it frequently causes painful sores there, and some drivers give it a hitch round the tail, in the same way as you would hitch it round a post. Another steadying rope goes round the elephant's breast, like a chest-band. 'A merciful man is merciful to his beast.' You should always, therefore, have a sheet of soft well oiled leather to go between the chest and belly ropes and the elephant's hide; this prevents chafing, and is a great relief to the poor old _hathi_, as they call the elephant. _Hatnee_ is the female elephant. _Duntar_ is a fellow with large tusks, and _mukna_ is an elephant with small downward growing tusks.