NETTING A TIGER 99 



foundation and intersected by small khals, makes 

 it extremely difficult to effect their destruction. 

 They seem to be much more cunning than Central 

 and United Provinces tigers, and are rarely caught 

 in traps. I heard of one tigress who was bogged 

 in the mud and killed with spears, but she was old 

 and weak. I believe it is an established fact 

 that on one occasion a tiger was run into and 

 killed by a steamer whilst he was swimming across 

 a river; and I have been told of one tiger who was 

 caught in fishing-nets. The tiger had strayed 

 on to a long tongue of dry sand jutting out into 

 the bay. A crowd of fishing-boats mobbed him 

 and he blundered into a set of nets spread out 

 for him at the shore end of the spur. He soon 

 tied himself up in a mass of netting and lay ex- 

 hausted and helpless. Just at this moment a 

 missionary parson turned up by the merest 

 accident and begged to be allowed to shoot the 

 tiger. The fishermen had an old musket and 

 agreed to let the padre finish off the tiger. So 

 absolutely ignorant of fire-arms was he that some- 

 one had to hold the musket whilst he pulled the 

 trigger. I have no doubt that more Anglico Indico 

 he is now alluded to as the greatest shikari in 

 Bengal, who " always shoots his tigers on foot 

 and at close quarters." I dare say the whole story 

 is a canard. 



A reputation volte is very easily acquired in 

 India. A youth cribs from a German article on, 

 say, the " bellicosity of blue butterflies," and 

 writes a report thereon. He is at once dubbed the 

 greatest authority on the subject in Delhi, later 

 on in the Punjab; lastly he is pronounced to be 



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