It was the lurking in wild places at unusual hours which pleased me, not the matching of my strength and skill against the might of beasts.

I have always been averse to every sort of competition.

This I explain that all may know that, though I sallied forth with glee in search of savage creatures, it was not to kill them.
We set out from our village on a fine spring morning, attended by Rashid, my servant, and a famous hunter of the district named Muhammad, also two mules, which carried all things necessary for our camping out, and were in charge of my friend's cook, Amin by name.

We rode into the mountains, making for the central range of barren heights, which had the hue and something of the contour of a lion's back.

At length we reached a village at the foot of this commanding range, and asked for tigers.