62 Sporting Notes in the Far East. 



village pigs ; and such is the fear of the brutes, that by nightfall 

 every village is shut up, doors barred, &c. ; and Mr. Tiger stalks 

 down the main street in search of a supper, monarch of all he surveys. 



The native way of slaying a more than objectionable tiger, is 

 very grand ; and undoubtedly marks the brave and courageous 

 nature of Chinaman vu/garis. 



By constant watching, the tiger is at last marked down in some 

 cave. This done, the news is brought, and with great beatings of 

 gongs, all the available young men of the place are paraded. These 

 are divided into three equal parts, the separate sections being 

 armed respectively with spears, guns, and torches. The advance 

 is then sounded, and away they all go, " bent on blood". 



On reaching the cave, the army is made to fall in in three 

 ranks ; in the front rank are the spearmen, in the second the 

 riflemen (ready for fire over the spearmen's shoulders), and in the 

 rear rank the torch carriers. And now all march into the lair, 

 the unfortunate tiger having but a poor chance, as without hope of 

 escape, he is eventually harassed and despatched, to the slow 

 music ? of the village band outside. 



In the Malay peninsular, as in India, tigers there are in plenty. 

 But there are but few safe anchorages for any vessels on the eastern 

 coast ; and with the exception of a place called Pah-hang, situated 

 between Singapore and Bangkok, the shores of this peninsular, 

 are seldom visited by Her Majesty's ships. 



