TIGER HUNTING IN INDIA. 477 



people soon came with their torches, and after a little search 

 the monster was found lying stretched out, dead on the ground. 

 At the sight of him the natives set up a shout of joy, and 

 hailed the officer as a real benefactor. Such is the account 

 of shooting a tiger, which we remember to have met with some- 

 where or other. Generally, however a company of hunters 

 join, and even then often find their foe quite a match for 

 them. Our engraving represents the tiger attacking a party 

 of Hindoos in their boats. The river has flooded over the low 

 marshy ground adjoining, and compelled the wild animals 

 that lurked there to swim for their lives. The natives, taking 

 advantage of this event, have embarked in their boats to spear 

 the surprised antelopes, as they are struggling in the water. 

 When, from yonder clump of palm trees, a low growl tells 

 them that other beasts besides deer have been caught in the 

 flood. Now commences the dangerous fray. The tiger seeing 

 that he is discovered, boldly strikes out in the stream ; he is 

 soon overtaken, and a spear driven deep in his side. With a 

 roar of furious rage he turns to attack his foes ; seizing their 

 boat with his paw he bids fair to upset it, and plunge its crew 

 in the water. But another boat has reached them and another 

 spear is piercing him. As he turns upon his new foes he is 

 again attacked behind ; till at last exhausted by swimming, 

 fighting, and struggling, he is slain by his enemies. 



Fierce and rentless, blood-thirsty and ferocious, the tiger 

 is but too fit an emblem of men whose lives present only the 

 records of cruelty and oppression, whose steps are marked by 

 blood, and whose actions are stamped with savage remorse- 

 lessness men who might justly apply to themselves the lines 

 of the poet : 



" my intents are savage, wild ; 



More fierce and more inexorable far, 

 Than empty tigers, or the roaring sea." ' 



But fierce as the tiger is, a few cases are known in which 

 they have been tamed and have exhibited all possible signs 



