90 SPORT IN BENGAL. 



The valiant little Santhal who had kept solitary watch 

 upon the tiger was alone present with us for some time 

 afterwards, as no village was very near. This courageous 

 man, armed as has already been stated with an axe and a 

 little bow which looked fit only to bring down birds, had 

 tracked the tiger from where it had eaten his prey to the 

 field where he lay up, and without doubt each knew of the 

 other's precise position, the tiger waiting till it suited him to 

 attack and seize, and the Santhal, from the concealment of 

 the bush, vigilantly watching every wave of the grain, ready 

 to take to flight if the enemy charged, or to maintain his 

 position till we arrived. 



It was long before a sufficient number of men could be 

 collected to help us in raising the dead tiger upon the back 

 of the pad-elephant, while I and my orderly occupied the 

 howdah on the other ; and it was fully ten o'clock before we 

 reached home, our return in the bright moonlight being 

 accompanied by the inhabitants of the villages we passed, 

 who all demanded and obtained a good view of their terrible 

 persecutor. Men, women, and children attended us in crowds 

 till we gained the river bank, and there they took leave, 

 requesting permission for another look by daylight next 

 morning before the skin was removed, a permission gladly 

 given. 



On returning home I measured this tiger, and found him 

 to be ten feet and 'an inch long when stiff and cold; he must 

 therefore have been ten feet two or three inches at least 

 when warm. He was extremely fat and lusty, and had a 

 very brilliant and perfect skin, without scar or blemish. I 

 judged him to have been five or six years old, certainly not 

 more than seven ; his teeth, claws, and coat all proved him to 

 be in the very prime and the fullest vigour of life. After 

 this no more human beings were carried off and devoured for 

 many a day in that country side ; but the memory of that 

 monster, and how he was slain, was not forgotten for years 

 by the grateful Santhal villagers. It does one's heart good to 

 serve such a simple and good-hearted people, still uncon- 



