PART BETWEEN CHITTAGONG AND AKYAB 419 



as it was clambering up the bank, and one took effect, for it 

 fell backwards amongst some bushes along the river's edge 

 with its back broken. It was now easy to walk up and 

 administer the coup de grace, as it lay snarling and helpless. 



Some excellent shooting may be had in the neighbourhood 

 of Maungdaw and along the river Naaf, which is the boundary 

 between the Chittagong and the Akyab districts. Pig, 

 sambur, leopard, and I have no doubt tiger and bear are 

 fairly plentiful, and up in the hills large game, such as gayal, 

 gaur, elephant, and rhinoceros, may also occasionally be met 

 with. This part of the country has not by any means been 

 overrun by sportsmen. Alligator shooting may also be had 

 up the river. The journey to within ten or fifteen miles of 

 Maungdaw, or Teknaaf as it is sometimes called, can be 

 performed in a steam-launch which leaves Akyab at least 

 once a week. 



Tigers are not so readily got at in Burma as in India, for 

 howdah elephants are required to beat them out of the cover, 

 and there are not many to be obtained in Burma. It has 

 been said that there are very few tigers in Burma compared 

 with India. I doubt this statement. 



Burma is not so thickly settled as India, nor do the 

 people in this country possess so many head of cattle. The 

 consequence is, that tigers in Burma have a large area of 

 unpopulated country to roam about and fewer cattle to prey 

 upon, while the immense jungles, some of which are well-nigh 

 impenetrable, afford magnificent cover where they lie unseen. 

 In India, 1 tigers are often to be found in small patches of 

 jungle, close to villages where there are large herds of cattle, 

 upon which from time to time they levy toll. Goats, buffaloes, 

 and cows are carried off by these depredators in large numbers. 

 Buffaloes, ponies, cows, etc. are without doubt carried off in 

 Burma, but the numbers cannot be compared with those of 

 India. Tigers as a rule only prey upon cattle in those parts 

 where game is not plentiful. The favourite diet of the tiger 

 appears to be the pig or sambur, an immense number of these 

 animals falling victims to the carnivora. Tigers wander about 

 a great deal, and often turn up unexpectedly in the neighbour- 

 1 Also in Assam. F. T. P. 



