126 SPOET IN BENGAL. 



companions. Shortly after this she stopped and lay down 

 beside him, as with the intention of then and there making 

 a meal, but did not worry or otherwise injure his body; 

 presently the shouts increasing and approaching nearer, 

 she stood up snarling savagely, advanced a pace or two, and 

 then with a sulky grunt bounded off leaving him on the 

 ground, from which he was raised and carried away by a 

 number of men, who hearing cries had quickly left their 

 work and joined his companions in following up the tigress. 



This was as close a shave as a man could well have, and 

 reminds me of a similar one in which a friend in the Madras 

 Presidency acted a prominent and leading part next to the 

 tiger, which seized and dragged him into a thicket a con- 

 siderable distance, and then suddenly disappeared, leaving 

 him sorely mauled. In both instances the escapes with life 

 were most providential. 



Another man who had been knocked over only, and not 

 .seized, related his story also, but it only amounted to the 

 fact of his being struck down by a blow on his back when 

 working with his fellows, who combined to drive the tigress 

 off by shouts and threats ; others who had been wounded 

 and escaped with their lives had left for their homes. 



Of late the tigress had taken to attacking men at night 

 while at work in the boiling-houses, or while eating or 

 smoking in small knots within the fences constructed for 

 defence against wild beasts. These defences had consequently 

 been raised and strengthened, nevertheless this demon had 

 sprung over through the top of one of these, and had carried 

 off a man out of a dozen, who one night were seated round 

 a fire smoking and conversing in fancied security. In this 

 instance the fence was built of saplings seven or eight 

 feet high, bound roughly but strongly together after being 

 driven deep into the earth, and closely filled in with reeds 

 and grass, altogether a good and strong stockade although 

 not quite high enough, as the tigress proved by leaping over 

 or through the bending tops, and carrying off her victim 

 in the same way with as much ease as a cat would run off 



