t 'í
u n l ' l , .
SHOOTERS COMING BY SURPRISE ON A TIGER. 8 1
to imply Ms having seiiol.a clog. The others, lc<\ hy the noise, perhaps rush
to the spol, wl.ence fpr llie most part they return .as rpiickly as they went, and
w i t h the most decisive tokens of fear indicated in every step and feature;
l e a v i n g their unfortunate fellow creature to his fate! The panic occasioned hy
the tiger's growl, and more especially if he he seen, or that the sound be not. far
clistim"t, generally proves the signal for tliglit.among the attendants; caeh.shifti
n g for himself. The most prudent course an armed person can adopt is, to
r e t i r e slowly, keeping a front to the ipiarter whence the noiso proceeded, and in
readiness to fire iu case the tiger should follow ; whicli, however, is not generally
to he expected ; he having already made a prey, whicli, so far f rom quitting,
h e would probably begin to devour, or drag to some other part of the cover.
But in retrcatin-r some caution is necessary ; both on account of the iiumhers
of old wells that Tre to he fonnd throughout the country ; and lest, in evading
one danger, the party stnmble on some other. An anecdote is related of a
g e n t l e m a n who, in the course of shooting, came suddenly upon a sleeping tiger.
W i s h i n g to he safe out of tllc sight and smell of the aniuud, which appeared
d i s t u r b e d by the unintentional visit, the gentleman turned about, and was just
commencing a run, when, t o his utter astonishment and consternation, he beheld
a n o t h e r tiger ; luckily fast asleep also !
I have observed, that, the spaniels ordinari l y fly the danger wi t h preeipitalion.
Such is found to be mostly the ease: but, in describing the rf/iofc, or wild dog,
w h i c h is the subject of the ne.-it Plate, it will he seen, that on many occasions,
dogs of a very small breed, have not only faced tigers, but have attacked them
w i t h surprising courage and cfleet. This, however, is by no means to be exp
e c t e d ; nor is an attack on a tiger, under the common circumstances which
occur in shooting in small parlies, and especially at any di.stauce from a camp
o r town, at all justifiable. I am aware that instances may he ([noted, of tigers
h a v i n g been killed in this way ; and great credit has been given on the occasion.
Yet I cannot think such adventitious events a proper guide for others ; they resemble
too much those rash measures in military life, where succe.ss covers the
i m p r u d e n t hero with laurels; while the sensible part of mankind cannot but
condemn that temerity which, had it faded, woul d have ruined the adventurer's
fame for ever!
A remarkable circumstance took place some years ago at Aiighikcp, on the
Cossindiazar Ishuid. Two officers, the one a captain of artillery, the other
commandant of a battalion, .after a morning's march, went into ti.e jungles to
shoot deer, or hogs. They procedcd to a small lope, or mango plantation, in
w h i c h there was some underwood ; and, in their way, met a villager, who stated
t h a t a tiger was laying asleep under one of the bushes. They were conducted
to the spot; previously agreeing to go on different sides of the hush, so as to
fire across each other' s range, and to d r aw the trigger hy signal. They bot h fired;
when caeh esclaimed, " he's dead!" However, on more near approach, they
f o u n d two, a tiger and a tigress; both killed by their respective shots I
I t is utterly impossible to stale with tolerable certainly, ^vliere tigers are to
b e found, or otherwise; they usually have several haunts, which they visit occ.
asiotially; and they are freciueiitly to be found in such scanty covers as would
imply madness iu tllc animal, for using so little precaution against discovery. I
recollect an instance at B<w<i/, near Drtcca, where, as a ninucroiis party were
going out iu the evening, with ihc intention to shoot, a large tiger was suddenly
roused by an elephant, on which a lady was mounteil ; though the grass wa.s
very thin, and not more than two feet high, it was immediately killed with
l i t t l e dilliculty, and conveyed 10 the Imngahw, or shooting seat, which was not
more thau three hundred yards distaiil. The country around was, to be sure,
amply stocked with tigers; whieh, Ihroiighoilt the nights, used to amuse us
w i t h tlicir dismal bowlings in every direclion. \Vhcn one tiger howls, others iu
dill'erent jungles are sure lo respond ; and at Uoisa/ there were four covers all
w i t h i n a (piarter of a mile, from which our cars were constantly saluted.
However dangerous every kind of sporting necessarily was in such a situation,
yet I never «aw so few accidents ; nor did I ever witness more enthiisia-sln, and
enterprise. All exccllenl pack of hoiiiids, good horses, and abundance of
elephants, rendered the field del ight ful ; while tlie hospitable, kind and pleasing
demeanour of our host, -Mr. iMalhew Day, Collector of the district, made the
i n t e r i o r equally agreeable !
T i g e r s do not like to remain among noises of any kind ; and are, in particular,
very averse to the report of fire arms. Nevcrlheless, hunger will occasion them
sometimes, not only to remain conecalcd amidst the disturbances attendant on
sporting, but even to approach and make a prey. Lcojiards are more daring
t h a n royal tigers, often snapping up dogs from the very foot of a shooter, even
a f t e r the report of llis piece. Doctor Stark, who was surgeon at Dacca, went
one evening from floi.-»/ to shoot by I he skirts of a long ridge of grass, and underwood,
abounding with every species of game ; wlieii, having shot a bird,
which fell at the edge of the grass, his favourite pointer ran to take it up ; at
t h a t moment a leopard darted out, and carried him without ceremony into the
cover. His master, deeply chagrincd at the accident, inslantly rushed into the
grass, to attack the leopard ¡ whieh, luckily, had gone olT to some distance with
his booty. We cannot but admire the fcejings and courage which actnaleil Mr.
S t a r k at the moment ; but we doubt whctlier his coolcr reOection sanctioned such
ail attempt, which cerlainly should not be held op as an object of imitation.
The hanks of rivers, especially such as are not navigable,, general l y abound
w i t h game. Here the grass is usually long; and being uiifreqiieuted, affords to
t h e game a most acceptable asylum. When such situations arc known,'the
shooter ordinarily numbers them among iiis occasional resorts ; seldom fading
t o return whh ample proofs of the qnanlity of birds, &c. they contain. He must
not expect always t o have his diversion unmolested : the tiger will now and then,
s a t i s f y him, that, in point of j u d gme n t , he is at least e,,ual to the sportsman.
I f there happen to be a copse, it is a very great inducement to peacocks; but