172 A JUNGLE RECOLLECTION. 



and another tiger, bounding from the opposite side 

 of the jungle, alighted face to face with his rival. 

 Each instinctively crouched, and as they gradually 

 crept nearer to one another, lashing their sides with 

 their tails and uttering loud menacing growls, their 

 eyes glared like burning coals. Suddenly the 

 larger of the two (the first comer), after moving 

 his hind-legs restlessly for a second or two, dashed 

 at his opponent with lightning-like rapidity, 

 making the jungle resound with the thunder of his 

 voice. His wary antagonist was on the alert, and, 

 springing lightly on one side, avoided the first 

 crushing stroke of the paw. Then closing with 

 each other, they bit and tore with teeth and claws, 

 now rearing to their full height, now rolling over 

 and over on the ground, their fierce roars, answered 

 by the screaming and chattering of numerous 

 monkeys and peafowl, roused from their sleep by 

 the tumult, their forms now plainly seen, and now 

 dimly visible through the dust raised by their 

 furious struggles, as they lay locked together in 

 the death grapple. By this time, however, the 

 larger of the combatants had obtained a decided 

 advantage, his teeth being buried in the throat of 

 his rival, whose struggles grew momentarily fainter 

 under the choking gripe, his defiant roar changed 

 to a low bubbling moan, his tongue protruded from 

 his jaws, and after kicking convulsively for a few 



