A Hyrcan Tiger 241 



escort, but supposing one of the poor beasts did 

 happen to get killed ! A bald entry " eaten by 

 tiger" would certainly be considered "unusual" 

 by those whose business it is to scrutinise con- 

 sular horse returns and suchlike formal reports, 

 and might have led to awkward inquiries ! It is 

 tolerably certain, however, that tying up would 

 have been useless. The forests swarmed with pig, 

 tigers' favourite food, deer were not unplentiful, 

 and it was 1000 to 1 against a tiger coming to 

 any tied -up beast. I therefore put a meeting 

 with the pig -slaying tiger out of my head as 

 altogether outside the circle of probabilities. 



That evening, at the usual spying time, we 

 were sitting above an open expanse in the 

 middle of the forest. The sun had set, but the 

 western sky still glowed rose and saffron, and 

 over forest, hill, and dale hung a solemn silence. 

 The day was dying in peaceful beauty; in a few 

 moments the light would be gone, and 



" evening's dusky car, 

 Crowned with her dewy star, 

 Steal o'er the sky in shadowy flight." 



It was one of those scenes that remain indelibly 

 fixed in the memory, and in my appreciation of 

 it I felt as much alone as if my companions had 

 been two dogs. 



Q 



