THE TIGER. 287 



turbed, sucked out the blood. His cry, in the act 

 of springing on the victim, is said to be hideous 

 beyond conception ; and we are told that, like the 

 Lion, if he misses his object, he makes off without 

 repeating the attempt. He seems to prefer mankind 

 to any other prey, when he can procure them by 

 surprise ; but he seldom makes an open attack on, 

 any animal capable of resistance. 



In the beginning of the present century, a com- 

 pany, seated under the shade of some trees near the 

 banks of a river in Bengal, were alarmed by the un- 

 expected sight of a Tiger, preparing for its fatal 

 spring : when a lady, with almost unexampled pre- 

 sence of mind, unfurled a large umbrella in the ani- 

 mal's face; which, being confounded by so extraor- 

 dinary and sudden an appearance, instantly retired, 

 and thus gave them an opportunity of escaping from 

 its terrible attack *. 



Another party had not the same good -fortune; 

 but, in the height of their entertainment, in an in- 

 stant one of their companions was seized and car- 

 rid off by a Tiger -j~. — But the fatal accident which a 

 few years ago occurred in the Eastlndies, must be still 

 fresh in the memory of all who have read the dread- 

 ful description given by an eye-witness of the scene. 

 *' We went (says the Narrator) on shore on Sangar 

 Island, to shoor deer ; of which we sav/ innumer- 

 able tracks, as well as of Tigers : we continued our 

 diversion till near three o'clock; vihen, sitting down 

 py the side of fi jungle to refresh ourselves,, a rear 



* Penn. Quad. t Ibkl. i. QjS: 



