A MAN-EATER'S SEVEN HUNDRED VICTIMS 



pounce suddenly on drivers of bullock carts and carry 

 them off into the jungle below. 



During the three years that Colonel W was stationed 



at Seonee, this Ghat was often held up for so long as three 

 months at a time by these man-eaters, one of whom was 

 credited with having killed and eaten seven hundred human 

 victims before he was eventually destroyed. 



On one occasion the mail cart, carrying the English 

 mail, a specially well-organized service with a booked speed 

 of fourteen miles an hour, was proceeding at this pace a 

 few miles from Seonee, when it was attacked by a man- 

 eater, which suddenly jumped on to it from a hillock where 

 he had, as usual, been lying concealed. 



Probably his intention was to carry off either the driver 

 or the syce, but as it happened, he lighted on the horses, 

 one of whom he clawed all down the quarters. The beast 

 eventually recovered, but was badly scarred, and for many 

 years after the driver used to point him out to travellers, 

 with great pride, as the horse which had survived a man- 

 eater's attack ! 



237 



