TIGER-HUNTING. 



37 



destruction which awaits them. As soon as a Tiger appears every piece is levelled at him, and, in 

 many cases, he is despatched at once ; but often he is either entirely missed, or only slightly wounded, 

 and then he at once makes for the nearest Elephant, and often succeeds in making Elephant, or 

 mahout, or even sportsman, feel his cruel teeth and claws, before the coup de grace is given. A Tiger 

 is at no time the easiest thing to kill ; like its humble kinsman, the Cat, it has " nine lives " to pai-t 

 with, and these lives are much more tenacious than in the case of poor puss. A Tiger, holding on 



with tooth and claw to a writhing Elephant, in such a position that a mis-directed shot may kill man 

 or Elephant instead of Tiger, is an extremely awkward beast indeed to deal with, and is often enabled 

 to sell his life very dearly. When the day's sport is over, the Tigers are either carried into camp on 

 pad Elephants, or skinned where they lie ; the natives possessing themselves of the flesh, and every- 

 thing else of which they can lay hold. 



The foregoing is the legitimate method of keeping down the Tiger race, but many others are 

 employed. " They are snared in pitfalls and traps, shot by spring-guns and arrows, occasionally 

 poisoned, and it is said that bird-lime has been used in their destruction. I have read of this, but 

 know of no authenticated case in which it has been practised. The bird-lime, it is said, is spread 

 on tiie fallen leaves ; these adhering to the Tiger's paws are soon plastered all over him, including 

 Ids face and eyes. Blinded and stupefied by rage and fear, he falls an easy prey to the villagers, 



