thus provided he wraps himself in his quilt, and very composedly goes to
steep in the full confidence of safety. By and by the tiger makes his
appearance, and after duly reconnoitring all round, begins to rear
against the cage, seeking for some means of entering. The hunter, who
watches his opportunity, thrusts one of his spears into the animal's
body, and seldom fails to destroy it."

"That is a very good plan, Uncle Thomas, and does not seem to be
attended with much danger, if the cage be strong enough."

"No, Boys, it is not very dangerous, but I don't think any of you would
like to trust yourselves so exposed. Here, however, is another mode of
destroying the tiger, which is practised in some parts of India.

"The track of a tiger being ascertained, which though not invariably the
same, may yet be known sufficiently for the purpose, the peasants
collect a quantity of the leaves of the prous, which are like those of
the sycamore, and are common in most underwoods, as they form the
largest portion of most jungles in India. These leaves are smeared with
a species of bird-lime, made by bruising the berries of a tree by no
means scarce. They are then strewed, with the gluten uppermost, near to
the spot to which it is understood the tiger usually retires during
noon-tide heat. If by chance the animal should tread on one of these
smeared leaves his fate is certain. He commences by shaking his paw,
with the view to remove the adhesive incumbrance, but finding no relief
from that expedient, he rubs the nuisance against his jaw with the same
intention, by which means his eyes, ears, &c. become covered with the
same substance. This occasions such uneasiness as causes him to roll
perhaps among many more smeared leaves, till at length he becomes
completely enveloped, and he is deprived of sight, and in this situation