ALLIGATORS. 75 



for which they fought and struggled with ra- 

 venous fury. The sight was disgusting, and 

 although the Faquir declared that no danger 

 was to be apprehended from them, I did not 

 half like their looks, and afterwards learned 

 from the local papers that several accidents 

 occurred during my stay in Sindh. These 

 alligators are said to be held sacred by the 

 more bigoted natives, but as the destruction of 

 one of the animals was not long since condoned 

 for a small pecuniary donation, I apprehend 

 that they are really held in less veneration than 

 is generally supposed. 



I may here mention an extraordinary fight 

 between a large alligator and a tiger, which was 

 witnessed by a friend of mine some years since in 

 the Nerbudda, when stationed at Gorraworra 

 with his regiment, the 42nd Madras Native In- 

 fantry. My friend was a thorough sportsman in 

 all ways, and described the terrific combat that 

 he saw between the two monsters, for so they 

 might well be called, both the tiger and alli- 

 gator being of the largest size, in this wise : — 



''I was stationed with my regiment at Hus- 

 singabad a few years ago, and we had capital 

 sport of all kinds within easy access of the can- 



