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BATTLE BETWEEN A BUFFALO AND A TIGER. 93
The conslnicl'ioii of llio placcs wherein llic combats are usually exbilillcd arc
prelly nearly similar. They are ordinarily about forty yards in diameter, of a
round or OYal form, and surrounded either with large posls, or with bamboos,
as may l)e most easily obtained ; but at all events tliey should he of sulheient
I,eight to prevent a tiger from eseaping. All battens to bind the work together
should he on the outside, else they would greatly facilitate a tiger's escape. From
fifteen to twenty feet is a sufficient height, especially if the enclosure be made
of bamboo, of which the hark.is extremely hard and slippery like that of a fine
walking caue; and consoiiuently well adapted to oppose the forcc of his elaws,
which iu softwood, might fix, and enable the animal to reach the summit. The
spectators are seated in a gallery raised high enough to command a full view of
the area, and are protected from the sun, &e. by a semana or large awniug,
sustained on poles, of which a description has been given with Plate VII.
exhibiting the Return from Hunting.
That a tiger should be anxious to avail himself of the partial release he feels
while patrohng within the area, appears very natural; but it is found, for the
most part, that his efforts do not commence until his courage is overawed, by
the prescnee of the buflalo ; which being pampered with the highest feeding,
for this express purpose, and perhaps conscious of his own prowess from repeated
victories, enters the lists with the utmost eonfidencc, and the very reverse
of the tiger ; which ordinarily shews the most marked symptoms of dillidencc,
and has recourse to every species of evitation, dreading that issue which he
seems from the very first moment to forebode ! Exceptions are at times fouud
from this general description ; there have been a few instances where the tiger
has been triumphaut; but this is very uncommon, and may no doubt be more
fairly attributed to some accident, ort o a neglect of keeping the buffalo in a
proper state of feeding, than to the tiger's prowess.
Persons unacquainted with the true eharaetcr of the tiger, would expect to
see him attack the buffalo as soon as he might enter the area. But no t as soon
as the buffalo makes his appearanec, the tiger, which perhaps till then docs not
betray any marked apprcheusiou, or probably seems to menace the spectators,
swelling his fur, and shewing his teeth, or occasionally snarling aud lashing his
sides w^th his tail, all at once sinks into the mosl contemptible despondency.
He sneaks along under the palisade, crouching and turning on his back to avoid
the buffalo's charge. He tries every device his situation will admit, and often
suffers himself to he gored, or to be lifted from his pusillanimous lurking by the
buffalo's horn, before he can be induccd to stand on the defensive. 'When,
however, he does, ou such occasions, summon up courage to oppose the
assailant", he displays wonderful vigour and activity ! His elaws are distended,
aud wherever they.touch they fail not to draw streams of blood ; actuating the
buffalo to the most desperate efforts, hut which arc not of long duration. The
immense strength of the tiger lays in his fore arm, and would prove fatal to
the buffalo if there were opportunity given for a blow to take proper effect. The
bullilo being ou his guard, avoids too close an engagement, but ever keeping a
front to his opponent, rushes towards him with his whole force, and recedes
with surprising celerity as soon as the tiger shews his intention to strike. Sometimes
the tiger will follow and make a desperate spring, which, however, the
buffalo either avoids by rapitlly shifting his ground, or at the same moment,
darting forward meets the tiger with his horns. There are instances that, on
such occasions the tiger has sprung almost over the buffalo's back, causing the
combatants to change places, and affording to the buffalo an excellent chance
of translixing the tiger before he could recover from the fall invariably atteriilaril
ou such a circumstance.
Nothing can well exceed the interest created in the minds of the spectators,
when the tiger ami bnll'alo arc mutually bent on resistance. liul the former
does not in general follow up his successes with sufficient spirit; while on the
other hand the buffalo pushes his opponent to the extreme; giving him no
respite, but charging with the greatest iln]ictnosity. The tiger seems to be
contented with a cessation of arms, but the hulfalo carries on a war of extermination.
I t is 10 he observed, that the buffalos trained to this sport are males of the
domesticated breed ; they are selected for their size, vigour and spirit. I cannot
say that I ever saw a wild buffalo brought into competition with a tiger; but
from what I have witnessed of the suílieicncy of a lame one, 1 am inclined to
believe there would be no sport, since the superior prowess of the wild buli'alo
could not fail to decide the matter in a very short time. Perhaps we may find
it hereafter ascertained that the wild huffalos destroy such tigers as may chance
to come near their herds. This they could assuredly do with little difficulty, as
they generally keep to grass plains, where if a tiger were once seen, a bufi'alo
would have every advantage, and might make sure of the victory.
I t sometimes requires considerable trouble and time to effect the desired
rencontre between the buffalo and the tiger. The former must be kept away
until the latter may have entered the area; for it is generally found, that the
tiger on seeing or smelling the buffalo remains close iu his cage, notwitlistandiug
the efforts made to dislodge him. Tiic cage is about ten feet long by seven
or eiglit broad, and from five to six in height, made of strong battens, well
inserted into a substantial frame. Some are divided in the middle, to enable
the keeper to go in and clean the refuse aud filth away. At each end is a
sliding door, or so many bars are made to shift, as when removed form a sufficient
opening to admit the tiger. The center partition, which is also of open
batten-work, has a slider moving in a groove for the same purpose. The
machine ordinarily is made to stand upon four trucks ; so that it may be moved
from place to place at pleasure.
The cage being brought opposite to a very strong gate, made in the palisades
surrounding the area, of sufficient size to admit any animal that may be usually
introduced to fight, aud some ropes being fastened so as to prevent any recoil