The Tiger 203 



pear to the fact that several were shot in trees. It is not 

 worth while to continue these inquiries as to whether it is 

 possible to discover something certain about tigers from 

 books ; on all points connected with them we should find 

 the same discordances. 



Although Buffon's extravagances (" Histoire Natu- 

 relle ") about this brute's disposition need not be seri- 

 ously considered, — such expressions as '' sa ferocite 11 est 

 comparable a rien " meaning nothing, and no creature, for 

 physiological reasons, being capable of remaining in "a 

 perpetual rage," — enough is known about the beast to 

 make it doubtful whether it deserves the " whitewashing " 

 that some have given its character. But if it be granted that 

 tigers possess intelligence, that in many places they have 

 become acquainted with the effects r.f European firearms, 

 and are not at all likely to mistake an Englishman with a 

 rifle for a Hindu carrying a staff, many things which seem 

 inexplicably at variance will become plain. If rage does 

 not overpower their discretion, they run away when the 

 prospect of certain death stares them in the face. What 

 do they do when it does not ? that is the question at 

 present, and the answer is that they act like tigers. This 

 most formidable of beasts of prey is not in the least afraid 

 of a man because he is a man ; he does not quail at his 

 glance — that enrages him ; his voice will not always startle, 

 — it often attracts ; nor can the scent of a human being of 

 itself turn him aside — on the contrary, it frequently guides 

 the beast to his prey. So much for the general view ; and 

 we may now go into the jungle again and discuss what 

 befalls, in the light of those principles which have been 



