THE ROYAL TIGER. 



companions. Mr. Downey then fired two mots and I one more. We 

 retired from the jungle, and a few minutes after, Mr. Munro came up to us, 

 all over blood, and fell. We took him on our backs to the boat, and got 

 every medical affiftance for him, from the Valentine Earl Indiamen, but in 

 vain ; he lived twenty-four hours in the utmoft torture ; his head and fkull 

 were torn and broke to pieces, and he was wounded by the claws, all over 

 his neck and moulders ; but it was better to take him away, though 

 irrecoverable, than leave him to be mangled and devoured. 



" I mull obferve, there w T as a large fire blazing clofe to us, compofed of 

 ten or a dozen whole trees ; and eight or ten of the natives were about us ; 

 many fhots had been fired near the fpot, and there was much noife and 

 laughing at the time ; but this ferocious animal difregarded all. 



" The human mind cannot form an idea of the fcene ; it turned my very 

 foul within me. The beafl was about four feet and a half high, and nine 

 long. His head appeared as large as an Ox's, his eyes darted fire, and his 

 roar, when he firfl feized his prey, will never be out of my recolleclion. We 

 had fcarcely pufhed our boat from that curfed more, when the Tigrefs made 

 her appearance, raging mad almofl, and remained on the fand, as long as the 

 diflance would allow me to fee her." 



Thus is the Tiger the fcourge of the countries where he is found ; he fears 

 neither man nor beafl, and will attack the Lion, Elephant, and Rhinoceros, and 

 often with fuccefs. His fpirit feems untameable, neither force nor kindnefs 

 can make the leafl impreffion on his flubborn nature. The careli'es of his 

 keeper have no influence on his heart of iron ; he maps at the hand which 

 feeds him, and feems to confider every living object as dellined for his prey, 

 When the Tiger exprelles his refentment, he fhews his teeth, moves the 

 mufcles and fkin of his face, and fends forth horrible fhrieks. 



Hunting the Tiger is a favourite amufement with fome of the eaftern 

 princes, who go in fearch of them, attended by confiderable bodies of men 

 well mounted and armed with lances ; as foon as they are roufed, they are 

 inflantly attacked by pikes, arrows, and fabres on all fides, and prefently 

 deflroyed ; but this diver lion is always attended with danger, for if the Tiger 



