VI 
THE TIGER 
187 
feet above the water, and the tiger, when alarmed by 
a shout from the helmsman, made a leap from the 
rudder to the deck of the nearest vessel. In an 
instant all was confusion, the terrified natives fled in 
all directions before the tiger, which, having knocked 
over two men during its panic - stricken onset, 
bounded off the flat and sought security upon the 
deck of the steamer alongside. Scared by its new 
position and by the shouts of the people, it rushed 
into the first hole it could discover; this was the 
open door of the immense paddle-box, and the cap¬ 
tain rushed to the spot and immediately closed the 
entrance, thereby boxing the tiger most completely. 
There was only one gun on board, belonging to 
the captain : the door being well secured, there was 
no danger, and an ornamental air-hole in the paddle- 
box enabled him to obtain a good view of the tiger, 
who was sitting upon one of the floats. A shot 
through the head settled the exciting incident ; and 
the men who were knocked over being more fright¬ 
ened than hurt, the affair was wound up satisfac¬ 
torily to all parties except the tiger. 
The progress of science in the improvement of 
steam navigation has had a wonderful effect through¬ 
out the world during the past half century, and it is 
interesting to watch the development resulting from 
the increased facilities of steam traffic upon the 
Brahmaputra. Although a residence upon the 
islands is accompanied by extreme risk during the 
period of inundations, there are many villages estab¬ 
lished where formerly the tigers held undisturbed 
