62 Lloyd's natural history. 



nounced bump against the upper panes caused him to start 

 up, when, to his no small perturbation, there, with his nose 

 pressed against the glass, which the narrow frame prevented his 

 cheek from breaking, stood a full-grown tiger. How long the 

 brute had been there, and what his ultimate intentions may 

 have been, it is impossible to divine, but that the lamp, which 

 was within two feet of him, and the glare of the window full upon 

 him had no deterrent effect upon the gratification of his curiosity 

 is certain. Although the occupant was not quick enough to 

 seize them, guns ready loaded stood against the mantelpiece. 

 So extraordinary was the occurrence deemed that the marks of 

 the animal's paws were allowed to remain on the window-sill 

 until the whole station had seen them ; and though most of 

 those who could testify to the correctness of this story have 

 passed away, there are, I think, three still in India who, besides 

 myself, can bear witness to the truth of this statement. The 

 other instance of a Tiger facing fire was at the burning of a 

 Manipuri village near the station of Silchar. We hurried out 

 on ponies to sec what assistance we could render; a good 

 many people were about, running to and fro and making 

 the usual hubbub ; and the blaze from the burning houses 

 threw a lurid light around for a considerable distance. In the 

 full glare of it were the village cattle, tethered under a shed, 

 when in the midst of the uproar, a Tigress, as it was afterwards 

 found to be, crept up a nulla at the back of the shed, bounded 

 in, and made off with a full-grown heifer. But to return to 

 Cherra. Though not aggressive in the daytime the Tigers 

 were rather more familiar than was pleasant, and if, as is 

 mostly the case during the rains, the days were dull and misty, 

 the roads deserted, and your business, or inclination, led you 

 anywhere near the khud y ten to one but what you would see 

 some sneaking cattle-lifter dodging from rock to rock or peeping 

 cautiously from some deep rift. People perambulating their 



