THE TIGER 267 



like to record an anecdote of his sagacity wMcli I think 

 beats everything I have heard of the elephant's intellect. 

 He was a consummate thief, and had grown so cunning 

 that he would unfasten any chains or ropes he was tethered 

 with, which he often would do of a dark night if not 

 watched, and proceed to roam about seeking what he 

 might devour. His favourite object on such occasions 

 was sugar-cane, and if he got into a field of this would 

 trample down and damage the greater part of it. Many 

 a long bill have I paid for such depredations. He would 

 never allow himself to be caught again after such an esca- 

 pade while his keepers pursued him with sticks and threats, 

 but surrendered at once as soon as they resorted to per-, 

 suasion, and promised not to beat him. One night the 

 people of the camp were sitting up late over a small fire, 

 and saw Sarju unloose his foot-chain and stalk off through 

 the camp. Presently he appeared sniffing about the place 

 where a grain-merchant had brought out his sacks during 

 the day to supply the wants of the camp. A sack of rice, 

 nearly empty, lay under the head of a sleeping lad, and 

 Sarju paused and seemed to ponder long how he might 

 annex its contents. At last he was seen to gradually 

 withdraw the bag with his trunk, while he replaced it with 

 the sloping edge of his big fore-foot in supporting the 

 head of the boy. Having gobbled up the rice with much 

 despatch, he then rolled up the bag, and returning it under 

 the boy's head, stalked away ! I was told this story next 

 morning by several respectable natives who saw the whole 

 affair, and who had no object in telling a lie about it. For 

 my own part, knowing what Mr. Sarju was capable of, I 

 believe it. 



Before quitting the subject of tigers I may notice the 

 obstacle presented by the number of these animals to the 

 advance of population and tillage. Between five and six 

 hundred human beinge, and an uncalculated number of 

 cattle, are killed by wild beasts in the Central Provinces 

 alone every year. This enormous loss of life and property 

 has been the subject of much discussion, and many schemes 

 for their destruction have been proposed — most of them 

 unpractical, and some even absurd. For some years 



