222 
TIGER. 
ingly unfair advantage over their enemy. As soon 
as Father Tachard arrived at the place, a tiger was 
brought from its den, of a much larger size than 
he had ever seen before. He was not at first let 
loose, but held with cords till one of the elephants 
approached and gave him two or three such heavy 
blows on the back with his trunk, that the tiger 
fell to the ground, stunned, and apparently dead. 
In this situation he was unloosed ; and although the 
first blows had greatly abated his fury, he had no 
sooner sufficiently recovered himself, than with a 
dreadful roar he made a spring at the elephant’s 
trunk, which was stretched out to strike him : but 
the elephant, with his usual dexterity, drew up his 
trunk, and, receiving the tiger on his tusks, threw 
him into the air. This so daunted the fury of the 
animal, that he gave up the contest with the ele- 
phant, and ran several times round the palisade, 
frequently springing at the spectators. Three ele- 
phants were afterwards sent against him, who in 
their turns gave the tiger such heavy blows, that 
the wretched animal was again deprived of his senses, 
and would certainly have been killed, if an end had 
not been put to the combat. 
M. d’Obsonville, Mr. de Maisonpre, and six 
sepoys were traversing one of the defiles of High 
Canara, between Boncombondi and Bassavapatnam, 
when they were informed that a royal tiger had 
for some time past committed the most dreadful 
ravages in the place they were then approaching. 
“ When we came to the place, we saw him lying 
