A TIGER IN THE NETS. 231 



growl, with a convulsive movement of the cordage, 

 as the only signs that the tiger was within the 

 network of ropes. Probably the brute had quite 

 exhausted himself in his previous efforts to shake 

 off the nets. Successive prods with the blunt end 

 of the spear failed to elicit more than a savage 

 growl. I suggested that they should throw a pail 

 of water over the brute, as the cold douche might 

 rouse him, but to this the Chetties objected. " It 

 was not the custom/' they said, and they are 

 great sticklers for custom. 



We were now told to stand back, as the Slaying 

 Ceremonies were about to begin. The drums re- 

 newed their thumping, when the chief Chetty 

 stepped into the ring with spear in hand and began 

 a kind of step dance. With legs outspread he 

 made a complete circuit of the enclosure, measuring 

 off the distance as one would with a drawing 

 compass. Now commenced a series of hops on 

 one foot and feints and lunges with the spear. 

 Soon he was joined by a second and a third, and so 

 on to a sixth spearsman, all of whom did exactly 

 like their leader. Now they divided into two parties 

 on opposite sides of the circle and cut the same 

 antics. Rushes were made with levelled spears 

 at the inert body in the centre, but these were 

 only feints to rouse the tiger. Then all was silent 

 and the leader of the Chetties began apostrophizing 

 the tiger, and wished to know if that was the 

 na-andamaganay (son of a dog) that frightened 

 the old women and ran off with their cattle. 

 " Yes ! yes ! " shouted the multitude, " that is 



