TIGERS. 177 



followed by the cries of his party. On inquiring the 

 cause, the latter told him that a tiger had crept on 

 to the top of the boat, put out his paw, laid hold of 

 the man as the boat passed, and dragged him into the 

 jungle. 



The history of an unfortunate guide is an instance 

 of the immediate mischief which ensues from the first 

 blow of one of these powerful creatures. The poor 

 man remonstrated with the officer whose party he was 

 conducting, on the imprudence of marching before 

 daylight ; but the officer, supposing it to be laziness, 

 threatened to punish him if he did not go on. The man 

 took his shield and sword, and walked along the narrow 

 path, bordered on each side by high grass and bamboo. 

 After going five miles, the officer heard a tremendous 

 roar ; and a large tiger passed him so closely that he 

 nearly brushed his horse, and sprang upon the guide. 

 The latter lifted up his shield, but he was down in an 

 instant, and under the tiger's paws, who seized him with 

 his teeth, growled, and looked at the officer. The tiger 

 was attacked, and so severely wounded that he dropped 

 his victim. But it was all over with the poor guide ; 

 the first blow had literally smashed his head to pieces. 



In a plain near the Narbudda river, a party were 

 hunting a tiger ; but the beast did not seem inclined to 

 come to battle with his antagonists. He trotted across 

 the plain, and as he passed an unfortunate cow, he raised 

 his paw, gave her a blow on the shoulder, and she fell. 

 He went on ; and when the hunters examined the cow, 

 she was dead, he having left the print of every toe, 

 and in fact every part of his paw, upon the shoulder- 

 blade, without making the smallest wound. 



The following anecdotes have been obtained from. 

 M 



