283 



any distinguishing trait. They have two, three, and sometimes 

 five cubs at a litter, seldom so many; they attain their full growth 

 at two years of age. 



" Those who are accustomed to see tigers only in a state of con- 

 finement, would imagine, from their wildness and apparent ferocity, 

 that, were one to get loose, it would not rest until it had destroyed 

 every living object within its view. But most probably its first 

 act, when liberated from its cell, would be to gain some shelter, 

 where it might be hidden from the eyes of man; for, notwith- 

 standing the extreme boldness with winch tigers act on some occa- 

 sions, and which no doubt results either from extreme hunger, or 

 from reiterated success, they are, generally speaking, very pusi- 

 lanimous. It happens but rarely that they act openly, even in 

 situations where persons may unhappily be exposed completely 

 to their assaults. They delight in concealing themselves, especi- 

 ally when intent on making a prey, and should they adventitiously 

 be discovered, or be defeated in their first attack, they ordinarily 

 retreat with precipitation. 



" The opinion entertained that a tiger will not at any time 

 approach fire, is carried much too far: it is true that they are ex- 

 tremely averse to it; but when hungry, nothing will deter them 

 from their object. The dawks, or posts, throughout India travel on 

 foot, one man carrying the mail over his shoulder, and accom- 

 panied at night, as also through all suspicious places in the day- 

 time, by one or more men with small drums, and eventually a 

 teereudaur, or archer. Yet this precaution does not suffice to in- 

 timidate the ravenous animal during the day, however great his 

 antipathy to noise, any more than two strong flambeaux which the 



