For children: How human encroachment has forced tigers to become resilient and instinctive

As time went on the solitude which at first had been so marked a feature in the tiger’s domain was broken by the ever-increasing number of human beings who found occupation or amusement therein. Formerly, only herds of cattle and their attendants roamed the forest, paying no attention to the jungle-folk, and hardly noticed by them; later on came those who felled timber and cut bamboos, their camps were numerous all over the area; and last of all came hunting parties of varying size, from the solitary sportsman who wandered afoot amongst the wild animals, to the large company, well organized to slay, who boasted of the number of their victims, and were proud of their stud of elephants and of their army of trackers and huntsmen. Not only peace but safety had departed, for though the graziers might not tell of the tiger’s whereabouts, there were others, cart-men, sawyers and carpenters, who for the sake of a small reward, indeed often as a remedy for their own fears, would report all that they saw or heard to those who were able to make use of the information.

The tiger, now well experienced and cautious, gifted moreover with a most intimate...

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