HOW I KILLED THE TIGER. II 



good fat Baboo, something similar to the fat man 

 in the illustrations, to a poor, lean, charcoal burner. 

 There is, therefore, great rejoicing over the death 

 of a tiger, and my friend found no difficulty in 

 getting volunteers to bring the tiger in. Bamboos 

 and ropes were speedily supplied, and as the work 

 of slinging progressed, all the villagers from several 

 villages round about came with their musical 

 instruments to join in the Tamashah. When 

 everything was ready, my friend headed the pro- 

 cession, followed by the tiger borne by twenty 

 men, and swarms of natives tom-toming, blowing 

 horns, dancing, and making various noises (Plate 

 16). By the appearance of the Mundle, one 

 would suppose that he had not only shot the tiger 

 but had eaten him too. The fat man is also, 

 conspicuous in the front, and looks as if he had 

 taken an important part in the affair. Perhaps 

 he thought he had. Imagination is very strong 

 with some people. During the famine in Orissa, 

 when two or three millions of people died in 

 1865-6, a friend of mine, who held a high and 

 responsible office in the station, and his wife, 

 were making easy stages with me of ten or four- 

 teen miles a day through a district where the 

 famine was very bad. My friend and I rode on 

 horseback, and the lady in a tonjon carried by 

 bearers. Shortly after we had arrived at a place 



