No. XIX
The commencement of such a Carnivorous Feast, where the Tiger has seized and slain—not a wild Buffalo, but a Bullock, from the tame herds of Hindostan. As the cattle descend toward the river to drink, their crafty enemy lies in ambush among the jungle, or creeps along cautiously and unseen; and, watching a favourable opportunity, makes his murderous spring.
Although Williamson corroborates Mr. Bewick’s account of the Tiger’s fondness of human flesh, he does not agree to that of its fearlessness. On the contrary, he thinks that on occasions where Tigers have seemed fearless, momentary anguish or resentment, has been their real stimulus; and adds, that “the Tiger is, of all beasts of prey, the most cowardly; its treacherous disposition induces it, almost without exception, to conceal itself until its prey may arrive within reach of its spring, be its victim either bulky or diminutive. Size seems to occasion no deviation in the Tiger’s system of attack, which is founded on the art of surprising. We find, accordingly, that such as happen to keep the opposite side of a road, by which they are somewhat beyond the first spring, often escape injury; the Tiger being unwilling to be seen before he is felt. Hence it is rarely that a Tiger pursues; but, if the situation permit, his cunning will not fail to effect his purpose, he will steal along the road-side among the bushes parallel with the traveller’s course, until one of the many chances which present themselves of finding him within reach, induces to the attack. Often, where the country is rather too open to allow his proceeding in this manner, the Tiger will take a sweep among underwood or through ravines, in order to meet the traveller again at a spot whence he may make his spring.
“Tigers are extremely partial to such sites as command a road, selecting one rather less frequented, in preference to one that is much in use. In the former, they are certain of finding as much as will answer their daily wants. If, however, the haunt be on a public road, it is usually at some spot abounding with grass or bushes, especially the prauss, and in the vicinity of some ample cover supplied with water, to which the prey can be dragged. There, in some low, opake spot, the sanguinary meal is consummated in gloomy silence.
“It should be observed, that for the most part the Tiger chooses his station on that side of the road which is opposite to his haunt; so that, when he seizes his prey, he proceeds straight forward, without having occasion to turn, and thus drags it across mostly at a trot. If he misses his aim, he will rarely return, unless attacked; but, in a sullen manner, either skulks through the cover; or, if the country be not sufficiently close to conceal his motions, he moves on at a canter.”
Finding the same anecdotes of Lions and Tigers repeated from book to book, the present writer has in general avoided to reiterate what he conceived would in most instances prove to have been already read: but he cannot wholly pass that in which a lady—next to the Royal Tiger himself—was the principal figure; more especially as it illustrates a fact of natural history not useless for Oriental travellers to be acquainted with—namely, the susceptibility of the Tiger of sudden alarm.
Some ladies and gentlemen being on a party of pleasure, under a shade of trees on the banks of a river in Bengal, were suddenly surprised at seeing a Tiger ready to make its fatal spring. One of the ladies, with amazing presence of mind, laid hold of an umbrella, and unfurling it directly in the animal’s face, it instantly retired.
The following also confirms Williamson’s account of the Tigers which are brought up tame by some of the mendicant Indian priests who inhabit the banks of the Ganges.
A beautiful young male Tiger was brought from China, some twenty years ago in the Pitt East Indiaman: at the age of ten months it was so far domesticated, as to admit every kind of familiarity from the people on board. It seemed to be quite harmless, and was as playful as a kitten. It frequently slept with the sailors in their hammocks, and would suffer two or three of them to repose their heads upon its back, as upon a pillow, whilst it lay stretched out upon the deck. In return for this, it would, however, now and then steal their meat. Having one day taken a piece of beef from the carpenter, he followed the animal, took the meat out of its mouth, and beat it severely for the theft; which punishment it suffered with all the patience of a dog. It would frequently run out on the bowsprit; climb about the ship like a cat; and perform a number of tricks with an agility that was truly astonishing. There was a Dog on board the ship, with which it would often play in the most diverting manner. But it ought to be remembered at the time this Tiger was taken on board the ship, it was only a month or six weeks old; and when arrived in this country, it had not quite completed a year.
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