CHAP. VI. TIGERS IN INDIA. 179 



wretched mother." * Those of Sumatra appear to be 

 particularly numerous and fierce; for Mr. Marsden 

 writes, " The number of people usually slain by these 

 rapacious tyrants is almost incredible ; whole villages 

 are sometimes depopulated by them ; yet, from a su- 

 perstitious prejudice, it is with difficulty that the na- 

 tives can be prevailed upon, by large rewards, to use 

 methods for destroying them, until they have sustained 

 some particular injury in their own family or kin- 

 dred." f That they follow the track of armies on the 

 march, may be gathered from this passage : f( The 

 number of stragglers taken from a line of march, in 

 India, when troops are proceeding through a close 

 country, would surprise persons unaccustomed to such 

 events. Three sentries have been carried off in one 

 night, besides several camp followers, who fell victims 

 to their impatience, in their attempts to get ahead of 

 the line, by taking short cuts through the jungles." $ 

 Pennant remarks, that the natives are so infatuated with 

 the notion of these animals being possessed by the souls 

 of their ancestors, th,at they will seldom kill them. 

 They seem to prefer human flesh to any other; and 

 bound upon their prey, from ambush, with a force, and 

 from a distance, that is scarcely credible. Against 

 this fearful enemy, no precaution will suffice at all 

 times ; " for although generally pusillanimous, and 

 especially dreading fire and noises, yet an instance is 

 well known of a tiger occupying a spot in Goomeah 

 pass for near a fortnight, during which time he daily 

 carried away a man, generally one of the postmen, who 

 usually go on foot, protected by two persons with 

 drums. At one time he was disappointed of his meal, 

 as he, by mistake, carried off the leather bag instead of 

 its bearer ; but, the following night, he seized one of 

 the torchmen, and soon disappeared with him." || The 

 same author gives a melancholy proof of the little re- 



* Orient. Mem. vol.-i. p. 428. t Hist, of Sumatra. 



J Orient. Mem. vol. ii. p. 284. Hist, of Quad. 



|j Orient. Mem. vol. ii. p. 283. 

 N 2 



