"the tiger. 289 



venous animals *. — In some parts of India, they are 

 particularly fatal to wood- cutters and labourers about 

 the forests ; and they have been known to swim to 

 boats at anchor at little distance from the s'iore, and 

 snatch the men from aboard '\-. — In Java, they are 

 much dreaded, from their very frequently carrying off 

 the travelling inhabitants. When any person of con- 

 sequence goes out into the country, he has with him 

 men who blow incessantly a kind of small French- 

 horns, the shrill sound of which frightens these 

 creatures entirely away ;|:. — The hunting of Tigers 

 is a favourite amusement with some of the Eastern 

 princes ; who go in search of them, attended by 

 considerable bodies of men well mounted and armed 

 with lances. As soon as the animals are roused, they 

 are instantly attacked on all sides, uith pikes, arrows, 

 and sabres, and are presently destroyed. Tlis diver-? 

 sion is, however, always attended with danger ; for 

 if the Tiger feels himself wounded, he seldom re- 

 treats without sacrificing one of the party to his 

 vengeance^. There are men who, covered with a 

 coat of mail ; or even armed only with a sliield, a 

 poinard, and a short scymitar ; will dare to attack 

 these blood-thirsty animals singly, and fight with 

 them life for life ; for in combats of this nature, 

 there is no other alternative, than to vanquish or to 

 fall. 



The inhabitants of these countries predict their 

 success or losses by omens taken from this animal. 



* Peiin. Outl. of GI. iii. 90- t Hi'd- i'- l-^-'- X Thunbcrg, iv. \G-2, 

 § Church. 



Vol. I. U 



