90 STORY OF A TIGER. 



me. The Muntjac Deer (Cervulus muntjac) is also plentiful ; 

 the native name for it is Kedang, and I managed to kill some 

 of them amongst the high grass, but it was most difficult to 

 take a correct aim. 



Tigers and leopards are very numerous, but owing to the 

 circumstances mentioned above I never saw but one tiger in 

 a wild state. Those kept in confinement were fine large 

 fellows but lean and ragged in appearance. A very extra- 

 ordinary story of a tiger was told me which I believe to 

 be perfectly true ; it took place a few months since and is 

 well authenticated. At a village where we stopped it is the 

 custom to put the buffaloes under the charge of the native 

 boys who take them out to their grazing ground in the 

 morning and bring them back again in the evening. The 

 boys generally choose one of the herd to ride upon, and the 

 boy and the buffalo get much attached to each other. One 

 morning a boy, whilst leading the herd was seized and carried 

 off by a tiger. The pet buffalo and another immediately 

 gave chase and made the tiger drop the boy, and as soon as 

 he did so the pet buffalo ran up and stood over the boy 

 remaining in this position till the other buffalo had driven 

 the tiger well into the jungle. The poor boy was severely 

 bitten in the shoulder but eventually recovered. The tiger 

 was pursued and killed by the natives. Although they rather 

 object to injure a tiger that has done no harm, the moment 

 one attacks a human being or one of their cattle, they turn out 

 en masse, shew most determined and persevering courage and 

 rarely return without their victim. 



Peacock and jungle fowl are extremely plentiful the 

 peacocks giving us capital practice with the rifle. We 

 succeeded in bagging a good many. 



