TIGER. 
227 
When a tiger kills a large animal, he does not 
devour it upon the spot, but drags the prey with 
incredible swiftness to a gloomy part of the near- 
est wood, where he can glut himself at leisure, and 
indulge his insatiate thirst for blood without inter- 
ruption. 
The ferocity of the tiger can never be totally sub- 
dued, unless, indeed, we quote the account of that 
which was brought home in the Pitt Indiaman from 
Bengal, and which before he was a twelvemonth old 
was so far domesticated as to admit of every kind of 
familiarity from the people on board. But it must 
be remembered that when this was taken to the ship 
its age did not exceed six weeks, and, when arrived 
in this country, had not completed a year: therefore 
it is impossible to say how much longer his good- 
humour would have continued. 
The female tiger produces four or five cubs at a 
litter, and when robbed of her young becomes de- 
sperate to the last degree. She braves every danger, 
and commits the most dreadful devastation wherever 
she goes; she will then attack every animal that 
comes in her way, not excepting even the king of 
the forest ; and so great is her fury upon such occa- 
sions, that both have been known to perish in the 
combat. 
a 2 
