THE STORY OF THE TIGER. 
95 
Wherever large tracts of forest and grass jungle remain in India, there 
tigers are to be found in more or less abundance. In the fever-stricken 
swamps and islands forming the so-called sandarbans of Lower Bengal, tigers 
are especially common; as they.also are in the forests of Burma and Assam. 
Formerly they were to be met with in the grassy islands of the Bramaputra, 
but the navigation of that river by steamers has led to a large reduction in their 
numbers. In the forests flanking the easterly Himalaya, and known as the 
Terai, tigers still'abound. 
In parts of Java and Sumatra tigers absolutely swarm; and a firm of 
TIGER ANGRILY WATCHING THE APPROACH OF A FOE. 
Dutch merchants at Padang, Sumatra, stated that the arrivals of coffee from 
the interior were much below the usual average, on account of the number 
of tigers infesting the route; upwards of fifty men having been killed by them 
while engaged in bringing the coffee down country. 
In spite of its predilection for water, the tiger can, however, at a pinch 
endure thirst for a considerable period, even in the hottest weather. As an 
illustration of this I may refer to an instance which recently took place, 
where two tigers were surrounded by nets in a small patch of jungle. The 
weather was hot; the circle in which they were enclosed was only seventy 
