THETIGER. 69 



are of opinion that it lives in habits of friendship with 

 the latter; be that as it will, there is no doubt but they 

 are often seen together at the sides of lakes and rivers, 

 though probably impelled by the motive of quenching 

 their thirst ; and the tiger may be prevented from 

 making an attack from the knowledge of the rhino- 

 ceros's amazing strength and size. 



When the tiger has killed any large animal, such, 

 for example, as a buffalo or horse, he drags it to some 

 remote part of the forest, for the purpose of devour- 

 ing it with the greater ease ; and bounds along, with 

 a rapid motion, unchecked by the enormous load he 

 sustains. From this alone we may judge of its strength ; 

 but to form a just opinion, we must attend to the ac- 

 count which different travellers have given of its size. 



Mr. Buffon has been informed, by a gentleman in the 

 East Indies, that he saw one which measured fifteen 

 feet in length ; and allowing four for the creature's 

 tail, from the insertion to the nose, it must have been 

 eleven feet long. What an immense leap such an ani- 

 mal may take we can easily conceive from what the cat 

 can perform; and how difficult it must be to escape 

 from a creature capable of making such an astonishing 

 bound. 



The tiger is the only species of quadrupeds whose 

 spirit absolutely refuses to be tamed : neither force or 

 constraint, neither cruelty or kindness, make the 

 slightest impression upon its stubborn heart ; it snaps 

 at the hand which supplies it with food with the same 

 ferocity as at that by which it is chastised ; and although 

 confined by bars and chains, is continually making 

 efforts to prove the malignity of its heart. 



There are three kinds of tigers in the Sundah Raija's 

 dominions, which vary in size as well as strength ; and 



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