the dreaded
name of _man-eaters_!

It is not a little curious that the Caffres and other natives of South
Africa, apply the same term to individuals of the lion species, known to
be imbued with a similar appetite.

It is difficult to conceive a more horrible monster than a lion or tiger
of such tastes; and in India, when the presence of such an _one_ is
discovered, the whole neighbourhood lives in dread. Often when a
British post is near, the natives make application to the officers to
assist them in destroying the terrible creature--well knowing that our
countrymen, with their superior courage, with their elephants and fine
rifles, are more than a match for the jungle tyrant. When no such help
is at hand, the shikarrees, or native hunters, usually assemble, and
either take the tiger by stratagem, or risk their lives in a bold
encounter. In many a tiger-hunt had Ossaroo distinguished himself, both
by stratagem and prowess, and there was no mode of trapping or killing a
tiger that was not known to him.

He was now called upon to give an exhibition of his craft, which, in
point of ingenuity, was almost equal to the stratagem of the limed
fig-leaves.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

THE DEATH OF THE MAN-EATER.

The path which our travellers were following led them into one of the
native villages of the Terai, which lay in a sequestered part of the
forest. The inhabitants of this village received them with acclamations
of joy. Their approach had been reported before they reached the place,
and a deputation of the villagers met them on the way, hailing them with
joyful exclamations and gestures of welcome.

Karl and Caspar, ignorant of the native language, and, of course, not
comprehending what was said, were for some time at a loss to understand
the meaning of these demonstrations. Ossaroo was appealed to, to
furnish an explanation.

"A man-eater," he said.

"A man-eater!"

"Yes, Sahib; a man-eater in the jungle."

This was not sufficiently explicit. What did Ossaroo mean? A man-eater
in the jungle? What sort of creature was that? Neither Karl nor Caspar
had ever heard of such a thing before. They questioned Ossaroo.

The latter explained to them what was a man-eater. It was a tiger so
called, as you already know, on account of its preying upon human
beings. This one had already killed and carried off a man, a woman, and
two children, beside large numbers of domestic animals. For more than
three months