22 SPORT IN ASIA AND AFRICA 



the lower part of the belly also caused serious 

 internal injury. 



He was a young tiger, with a very good coat. 

 The shikari thought he was too young to have 

 commenced man-eating, but there did not appear 

 to be any other tiger in the neighbourhood, and 

 he was a very voracious animal. The view that 

 only old or crippled tigers become man-eaters 

 is only partly correct. Cubs, which have been 

 brought up on human flesh, and which have 

 repeatedly seen their mother attacking and killing 

 human beings, must frequently take to the business 

 when they begin hunting on their own account, 

 especially if game is scarce in the place in which 

 they reside, as was the case in the Patna State. 

 Altogether, this tiger provided three successive 

 days' entertainment. The rifle, though damaged, 

 was not completely unserviceable, and I was able 

 to go on shooting. 



For some days after this excitement the 

 elephant was decidedly mischievous. On the 

 day following the death of the tiger she tried to 

 catch hold of a native with her trunk as he ran 

 past her ; and on another occasion, after the 

 mahout's wife had given her some bananas, 

 she seized the woman round the waist with her 

 trunk and lifted her up, but did not actually 

 injure her. I was in the tent when this occurred, 

 but, hearing a row, I came out and found the 

 mahout abusing the elephant as only an Indian 

 can. 



She was, I think, the fastest and most comfort- 

 able elephant I have ever ridden, but she had a 

 temper and was said to have killed several people. 



