nd the pursuing animal gained upon
them. B. had just determined to leap from the cart when the pony
tripped and fell and B. was shot out of the cart. He fell into the
long grass on the side of the road, and had barely collected himself
when a dark form sprang upon the pony.

The poor animal neighed with fear but kicked and fought its
foe. B. rolled down the side of the road and began to crawl away
through the jungle as fast as he could. Long grass and thorny brambles
grew on either side of the road and as it was the dry season every
movement of his made a crackling and rustling; and often he fancied
he heard an animal in pursuit of him, or he would imagine he was
about to meet one coming through the jungle towards him. He pressed
on as fast as he could, sometimes crawling and sometimes walking,
and at last he saw the glimmer of lights and came to some huts. He
shouted to the inmates who came to his assistance.

When they discovered a Saheb in such a plight they were full of
concern, helped him to their huts, gave him hot milk to drink and
washed his wounds. His clothes were torn and his hands and knees
bleeding from his flight through the thorny jungle. The sympathising
villagers emptied a hut for him to rest in, and when morning came
escorted him to the scene of his mishap.

The mangled remains of his poor pony told him that the wild animal
had been a very famished tiger. B. returned to his own bungalow a
wiser man, and told his servants that, had he taken their advice, he
would not have suffered such an adventure or the loss of his pony. He
rewarded the villagers for their kindness and hospitality and for a
long time his escape was the talk of the district.

A Cachar Tiger

In the province of Assam lies a fertile and picturesque valley called
Cachar. Shut in on north, south and east by lofty hills, this valley
remained hidden for centuries and was never conquered by any of the
Mahommedan rulers of India.

Here a race of aboriginal kings held sway, and it was the East India
Company who first became masters of this hilly corner of Bengal. In
1830, the last of the old Cachari kings died without heir, and
"Company Bahadoor" took possession of the little kingdom.

In 1855, the discovery of the tea-plant, growing wild in the jungles,
opened out a new industry, and soon the low-lying hills, knolls and
undulating plains of the little valley became gradually clear of
jungle, and covered instead with row after row