496 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, 1891 



No. VIII.— TIGEES IN SUMATRA. 



The following letter appeared in the Field signed by Tuan Kechil on 21st 

 November, 1891 : — 



During my residence on the north-east coast of Sumatra, in 1885-86, the 

 country swarmed with tigers. So far from being driven away by the settlement of 

 the country, they seemed more numerous about the tobacco plantations than in 

 the jungle ; for the reason that the tiger prefers the lallang grass and young 

 jungle which springs up where the tobacco fields are left fallow ; and this, now 

 that the tobacco industry has fallen upon evil days, is more plentiful than 

 ever. But, though new tracks could be found everywhere, it was rare to see 

 one, and still rarer to hear of one being killed. 



For some reason, the tigers of this side of the Straits, though they attain a 

 great size, are not nearly so dangerous as those of the Malay Peninsula. I can only 

 remember three cases of man-eating, and a few head of cattle destroyed. They 

 are, however, very fond of dogs, which I have known them to carry off from a 

 verandah in broad daylight, as the owner sat within a few feet . I should 

 think (though I never saw it tried) that a noisy pariah tied up on a moonlight 

 night would ensure a shot in a very short time to anyone who could stand 

 being half eaten by mosquitoes. The natives have not much dread of the tiger, 

 and account the black Sundanese leopard much more dangerous; but this beast 

 is very scarce in the low country. 



Elephants were plentiful along the coast from Langkalt to Assahan ; indeed, 

 at a place called Bobongan, they were a perfect nuisance, by breaking down 

 bridges and treading in drains ; and deer, tapir, orang-utan, pig, and the Mal- 

 ayan bear, besides rhinoceros, were abundant. But the fact is, that the work 

 of the tobacco plantations is so incessant and heavy that no one engaged in it 

 has leisure for sport ; and the majority are Germans, Swiss, and Dutch, who 

 prefer their everlasting cards, gin and bitters, and " ranch bazi." 



There are, however, formidable difficulties in the way of sport in this part of 

 Sumatra. In the first place, a knowledge of colloquial Malay is indispensable ; 

 in the next, there is no such thing as a native shikari. The Malays are not 

 fond of anything that requires more exertion than fishing, and do not care for 

 going into the jungle ; besides which they have no inducement to hunt game, 

 most of which is unclean to Mussulmans. The Bataks have no such scruples, 

 but they will only hunt when they are hungry, and they are most repulsive in 

 their persons and customs, some being still cannibals. 



The greatest obstacle to sport is ha the nature of the country itself and the 

 denseness of the jungle, which growing from a clay soil under drenching rain 

 and a vertical sun, is about as unpleasant and unhealthy a place as can be 

 imagined. I myself, like Mr. Hannibal Chollop, have the luck to be " fever proof, 

 likewise ager ;" but I retain the most unpleasant recollections of the hot, gloomy, 

 malaria-reeking " payas," or swamps, where you waded all day knee deep 

 |q filthy mud and water, except when you tumbled over head and ears in it; while 



