132 
THE TIGER 
From such a point of vantage it will leap with, terrible effect, seldom making above a single 
spring, and, as a rule, always being felt before it is seen or heard. 
It is a curious fact that the Tiger generally takes np his post on the side of the road 
which is opposite his lair, so that he has no need to turn and drag his prey across the road, 
but proceeds forward with his acquisition to his den. Should the Tiger miss his leap, he 
generally seems bewildered and ashamed of himself, and instead of returning to the spot, for 
a second attempt, sneaks off discomfited from the scene of his humiliation. The spots where 
there is most danger of meeting a Tiger, are the crossings of nullahs, or the deep ravines 
through which the water-courses run. In these localities the Tiger is sure to find his two 
essentials, cover and water. So apathetic are the natives, and so audacious are the Tigers, 
that at some of these crossings a man or a bullock may be carried off daily, and yet no steps 
will be taken to avert the danger, with the exception of a few amulets suspended about the 
person. Sometimes the Tigers seem to take a panic, and make a general emigration, leaving, 
without any apparent reason, the spots which they had long infested, and making a sudden 
appearance in some locality where they had but seldom before been seen. 
In the districts where these terrible animals take up their abode, an unexpected meeting 
with a Tiger is by no means an uncommon event. While engaged in hog-spearing, the sports- 
men have many times come suddenly upon a Tiger that was lying quite composedly in the 
heavy “rhur” grass from which the hog had started. In such cases, the terror of the native 
horses is excessive, for their dread of the Tiger is so great, that the very scept of a Tiger’s 
presence, or the sight of a dried skin, is sufficient to set them plunging and kicking in their 
attempts to escape from the dreaded propinquity. One horse, which had been terrified by a 
Tiger, could not afterwards endure the sight of any brindled animal whatever, and was only 
restored to ordinary courage by the ingenious device of his master, v T ho kept a brindled dog 
in the same stable with the horse until the poor beast became reconciled to the abhorred 
striped fur. 
A very curious introduction to a Tiger occurred to a gentleman who was engaged in deer 
shooting. 
He had crept up to a convenient spot, from whence he could command a clear view of the 
deer, which were lying asleep in the deep grass ; had taken aim at a fine buck which was only 
at twelve yards’ distance, and was just going to draw the trigger, when his attention was 
roused by a strange object which was waving above the grass, a few feet on the other side of 
the deer. It was the tail of a Tiger, which had approached the deer from the opposite direc- 
tion, and had singled out the very animal which was threatened by the rifle. Not exactly 
knowing what kind of an object it was that stirred the grass, the sportsman re-adjusted his 
piece, and was again going to fire, when a Tiger sprang from the cover of the. “moonje” grass, 
and leaped upon the very buck which had been marked out as his own. Under the circum- 
stances, he did not choose to dispute the matter, but retreated as quietly as possible, leaving 
the Tiger in possession of the field. 
The deer was an Axis, or Spotted Deer, animals which are very common in some parts of 
India, and are much appreciated by Tigers as well as men. Peacocks also abound in the same 
districts ; in short, wherever spotted deer and peacocks may be found, Tigers are sure to be at 
no great distance from them. On one occasion, another sportsman had wounded a peacock, 
which fluttered about for a time, and then fell into a little open space in the bushes. As these 
birds, when winged, can run too fast to be overtaken by a man, the sportsman ran after the 
bird in order to catch it as it fell, and on entering the little area found himself in the presence 
of three Tigers, which had been evidently asleep, but were just roused by the report of the 
gun, and were looking about them in a dreamy and bewildered manner. The peacock lay dead 
close to the Tigers, .who probably made a light repast on the game thus unexpectedly laid 
before them, for the sportsman took to his heels, and did not feel himself safe until he was 
fairly on board of his vessel. 
The chief weapons of the Tiger are his enormous feet, with their sharp sickle-like talons, 
which cut like so many knives when the animal delivers a blow with his powerful limbs. Even 
were the talons retracted, the simple stroke of that sledge-hammer paw is sufficient to strike 
