132 THE TIGER. 



From such a point of vantage it will leap with terrible effect, seldom making above a single 

 spring, and, as a rule, always being felt before it is seen or heard. 



It is a curious fact that the Tiger generally takes up his post on the side of the road 

 which is opposite his lair, so that he has no need to turn and drag his prey across the road, 

 but proceeds forward with his acquisition to his den. Should the Tiger miss his leap, he 

 generally seems bewildered and ashamed of himself, and instead of returning to the spot, for 

 a second attempt, sneaks off discomfited from the scene of his humiliation. The spots where 

 there is most danger of meeting a Tiger, are the crossings of nullahs, or the deep ravines 

 through which the water-courses run. In these localities the Tiger is sure to find his two 

 essentials, cover and water. So apathetic are the natives, and so audacious are the Tigers, 

 that at some of these crossings a man or a bullock may be carried off daily, and yet no steps 

 will be taken to avert the danger, with the exception of a few amulets suspended about the 

 person. Sometimes the Tigers seem to take a panic, and make a general emigration, leaving, 

 without any apparent reason, the spots which they had long infested, and making a sudden 

 appearance in some locality where they had but seldom before been seen. 



In the districts where these terrible animals take up their abode, an unexpected meeting 

 with a Tiger is by no means an uncommon event. While engaged in hog-spearing, the sports- 

 men have many times come suddenly upon a Tiger that was lying quite composedly in the 

 heavy "rhur" grass from which the hog had started. In such cases, the terror of the native 

 horses is excessive, for their dread of the Tiger is so great, that the very scent of a Tiger's 

 presence, or the sight of a dried skin, is sufficient to set them plunging and kicking in their 

 attempts to escape from the dreaded propinquity. One horse, which had been terrified by a 

 Tiger, could not afterwards endure the sight of any brindled animal whatever, and was only 

 restored to ordinary courage by the ingenious device of his master, who kept a brindled dog 

 in the same stable with the horse until the poor beast became reconciled to the abhorred 

 striped fur. 



A very curious introduction to a Tiger occurred to a gentleman who was engaged in deer 

 shooting. 



He had crept up to a convenient spot, from whence he could command a clear view of the 

 deer, which were lying asleep in the deep grass ; had taken aim at a fine buck which was only 

 at twelve yards' distance, and was just going to draw the trigger, when his attention was 

 roused by a strange object which was waving above the grass, a few feet on the other side of 

 the deer. It was the tail of a Tiger, which had approached the deer from the opposite direc- 

 tion, and had singled out the very animal which was threatened by the rifle. Not exactly 

 knowing what kind of an object it was that stirred the grass, the sportsman re-adjusted his 

 piece, and was again going to fire, whe,n a Tiger sprang from the cover of the "moonje" grass, 

 and leaped upon the very buck which had been marked out as his own. Under the circum- 

 stances, he did not choose to dispute the matter, but retreated as quietly as possible, leaving 

 the Tiger in possession of the field. 



The deer was an Axis, or Spotted Deer, animals which are very common in some parts of 

 India, and are much appreciated by Tigers as well as men. Peacocks also abound in the same 

 districts ; in short, wherever spotted deer and peacocks may be found, Tigers are sure to be at 

 no great distance from them. On one occasion, another sportsman had wounded a peacock, 

 which fluttered about for a time, and then fell into a little open space in the bushes. As these 

 birds, when winged, can run too fast to be overtaken by a man, the sportsman ran after the 

 bird in order to catch it as it fell, and on entering the little area found himself in the presence 

 of three Tigers, which had been evidently asleep, but were just roused by the report of the 

 gun, and were looking about them in a dreamy and bewildered manner. The peacock lay dead 

 close to the Tigers, who probably made a light repast on the game thus unexpectedly laid 

 before them, for the sportsman took to his heels, and did not feel himself safe until he was 

 fairly on board of his vessel. 



The chief weapons of the Tiger are his enormous feet, with their sharp sickle-like talons, 

 which cut like so many knives when the animal delivers a blow with his powerful limbs. Even 

 were the talons retracted, the simple stroke of that sledge-hammer paw is sufficient to strike 



