PERILS OF TIGER-HUNTING. 



707 



an almost miraculous escape. Accompanied by about forty drivers, they had entered 

 a jungle, which did not seem to promise much sport, and had mounted with their rifles 

 upon some small trees to await the issue of the explorations, when suddenly their 

 people roused a beautiful tiger, who advanced slowly towards them. They remained 

 perfectly silent, but one of their followers, posted upon another tree and fearing they 

 might be surprised by the animal, called out to them to be upon their guard. This 

 was enough to make the tiger change his direction, so that they had scarcely time to 

 send a bullet after him. His loud roar announced that he was wounded, but the dis- 

 tance was already too great to admit of his being effectually hit a second time, so that 

 the impatient sportsmen now pursued him with more eagerness than caution. At the 

 head of their troop, they marched through the jungle, following the bloody trail of the 

 animal, until at length they emerged into an open country, when all further traces 

 were lost. In vain some of their people climbed upon the highest trees ; nothing was 

 to be perceived either in the bushes or in the high grass. Meanwhile the Englishmen 

 slowly walked on, about twenty paces in advance, attentively gazing upon the ground, 

 when suddenly with a terrific roar the tiger bounded upon Colonel Rice from a hollow, 

 concealed beneath the herbage. The gallant sportsman had scarcely time to fire both 

 his barrels at the head of the monster, who, diverted from the attack by this warm 

 reception, now made an enormous spring at Ensign Elliott before he had time to aim. 

 All this was the work of a moment, for, on turning towards the tiger, the Colonel saw 

 his unfortunate friend prostrate under the paws of the farious brute. Immediately 

 the shikarree with admirable coolness handed him a freshly loaded rifle. He dis- 

 charged one of the barrels without effect, but was then obliged to pause, as the tiger 

 had seized his friend by the arm, and was dragging him towards the hole from whence 

 he had sprung forth. Thus it was absolutely necessary that the next shot should hit 

 the animal in the brain, as any other wound not immediately fatal would only have 

 increased its fury. Closely following the tiger, and watching all his movements with 

 the most intense attention, the Colonel, after having aimed several times, at length fired 

 and hit the temple of the tiger, who fell over his victim a lifeless corpse. Fortunately, 

 the Ensign was not mortally wounded, the stroke of the tiger's paw, which had been 

 aimed at his head, having been parried by his rifle. The blow, however, had been so 

 furious as to flatten the trigger, and thus he escaped with a terrible wound in the arm. 



The tiger is particularly fond of dense willow or bamboo bushes on swampy ground, 

 as he there finds the cool shades he requires for his rest during the heat of the day, 

 after his nocturnal excursions. It is then very difficult to detect him, but the other 

 inhabitants of the jungle, particularly the peacock and the monkey, betray his pres- 

 ence. The scream of the former is an infallible sign that the tiger is rising from his 

 lair; and the monkeys, who during the night are so frequently surprised by the 

 panther or the boa, never allow their watchfulness to be at fault during the day. 

 They are never deceived in the animal, which slinks into the thicket. If it is a deer 

 or a wild boar, they remain perfectly quiet ; but if it is a tiger or a panther, they 

 utter a cry, destined to warn their comrades of the approach of danger. When, on 

 examining a jungle, the traveler sees a monkey quietly seated on the branches, he 

 may be perfectly sure that no dangerous animal is lurking in the thicket. During the 

 night the cry of the jackal frequently announces the tiger's presence. When one of 

 these vile animals is no longer able to hunt from age, or when he has been expelled 



