12.  The people of the village came to your uncle and begged him to kill the man-eater.  He agreed to do so.  Near to the tiger’s drinking-place a little hut was built in a tree.  One night your uncle sat in this hut with his gun on his knee, waiting for the tiger to come.

13.  Slowly the hours went by, and your uncle felt sure that the tiger had gone to another place to drink.  Just as he was thinking of going home to bed the huge animal crept into the moonlight.

14.  Nearer and nearer he came.  Then your uncle lifted his gun, took a steady aim, and shot the tiger through the heart.

[Illustration:  {Tiger being shot}]

15.  In the morning there was great joy among the people of the village because their fierce foe was dead.  They hung garlands of flowers round your uncle’s neck, and sang his praises in many songs.

[Illustration:  A Tiger Shoot.

(From the picture by Edgar H. Fisher, in the Royal Academy, 1911.)]

16.  Now I must close this very long letter.—­Best love to you all.  Father.

* * * * *

16.  A letter from Burma.—­I.

1.  My dear children,—­Since I last wrote to you I have visited several of the large cities of India.  A week ago I was in the largest city of all.

2.  On Christmas morning I sailed down the mouth of the Ganges into the open sea, on my way to the country of Burma.

3.  Now I am in the chief town of Burma, and you will expect me to tell you something about the land and its people.  From what I have seen, I think Burma is a prettier country than India.

4.  In the chief town there seem to be people from many lands.  I saw Chinamen, with their pigtails hanging down their backs.  I also saw Indians from across the sea, and white men from our own country.  Of course, there were also many Burmese, as the people of Burma are called.

5.  Kate and May will like to hear something about the Burmese girls and women.  They are not at all sad like the Indians, but are very bright and gay.  As I write these lines I see a party of Burmese girls passing my window, I can hear them laughing.

6.  They are very dainty in their dress.  One girl wears a skirt of pink silk and a blouse of light green.  She has bracelets on her arms, ear-rings in her ears, a string of coral round her neck, and flowers in her hair.

[Illustration:  {Burmese woman carrying an umbrella}]

7.  In one hand she carries a bamboo sunshade; in the other she holds a big paper cigar!  She is very fond of smoking, and you never see her without a cigar.  On her feet she wears sandals.

8.  The men are gentle and rather lazy.  The women have far more “go” in them than the men.  Many of them keep shops, and are very good traders.  The wife is the chief person in every home.

9.  The men also wear skirts, and sometimes their jackets are very gay.  They wrap a handkerchief of pink, or of some other bright colour, round their head.