489 



the hunt, which sometimes lasted several weeks. Such probably 

 has been the custom in Persia and Arabia, from the time of Nim- 

 rod to the present day. In ancient history we read of royal feasts 

 in tents and pavilions; Olearius, who attended a Danish ambassa- 

 dor to the court of Persia, says " they were invited by the king to 

 accompany him into the country on a hunting and hawking party; 

 where, on their arrival at an Armenian village, they found tents 

 prepared for the reception of the company. Their various colours, 

 and the peculiar manner of the encampment, gave it a most pleas- 

 ing appearance." 



I have occasionally joined the European parties in their tiger 

 hunts, as particularly mentioned in the wilds of Turcaseer. The 

 forests on the confines of Bhaderpoor, are equally wild and in- 

 fested with beasts of prey. As I can offer nothing so interesting 

 upon this subject as a description of a tiger-hunt in Bengal, the 

 subject of a letter from Sir John Day^to Sir William Jones, which 

 I have had many years in my possession, I shall not apologize for 

 inserting so highly-finished a picture of this royal sport; which 

 was given to me by a very intimate friend of the writer, and has 

 not to my knowledge appeared in print. 



Description of a tiger-hunt, upon the banks of the Ganges, near Chin- 

 sura in Bengal in April 1784. 



Although you could not partake of the pleasure, I am resolved 

 that you shall not entirely escape the fatigue of our enterprize ; 

 and with that laudable view, although we have not returned more 

 than an hour, and at this moment a sound sleep were heaven to 



VOL. II. 3 R 



