The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1870-02-19 00:00:00

THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH TIGER-

HUNTING.

On the 12th ult. (says the Calcutta Eng:le/man) the
Doke of Edinburgh and party went tiger-hunting in
the Maldah district. The party started after break-
fast and rode about eight miles, when they found the
elephants, about thirty in number, waiting at the
village of Dobri. Here having got into the howdahs
they proceeded to beat over the extensive nut and
pntial jungle of Serajpore. After beating for some
time a young tigress was turned out. She made a
brave charge down the line, but could not make it good,
nor could she break the line, and soon fell before the
fire from the numeroue howdahs as she tried to run the
gauntlet. His Royal highness had a good shot at her
and a shell from his rifle produced a marked effect.
She was scarcely paddvd, before a second tiger
was afoot, close to where the first was killed.
The line was taken back and beat up the ground
again, and the second animal was soon hors de
comtat ; it proved to be a second tigress, somewhat
larger than the first. The ryots of the neighbouring
station were much pleased, for they had been losing
many cattle lately, and the death of the two tigresses
promised them some relief. A short beat was then
made through a neighbouring patch of long grass
jungle, but without success. After tiflin most of the
party went along the picturesque road which leads to
the ancient city of Dour ; and after inspecting the in-
teresting ruin of the Sona Musjid, branched off across
the swamps towards the camp, which hail been left at
the Turtipore station, and pitched at a place known as
Sookerbarri. It was nearly half-past eight befcre the
tents were reached, but the day's sport had amply com-
pensated for the long and fatiguing day in the howdahs.
His Royal Highness and all the party were in excellent
health.
. . . . .

Next day the party left the ground after breakfast,
and rode about three miles to the Mahanurldee. The
elephants and howdahs had been sent on, and crossed
before. At about eleven the beat commenced with a
line of about 45 elephants, over the extensive grassy
undulating plains that abound in these parts of Maldah,
a district characterised by its picturesque groups of
magnificent trees, chiefly of the Indian hg tribe. The
lino having been formed, it beat stsadily on; very
little game was seen, excepting a few black partridges,
an occasional hog, deer, or hare, until suddenly the
signal went along the line that a tiger was afoot, and
shortly he was seen bounding along with his tail well
in the air- -making for a nullah with water and long
grass. several hundred yards ahead. lie got clone under
his Royal Highnese's elephant, which was in the
centre of the line ; a few Photo were fired, but
apparently without effect His Royal Highness missed
the chance by having his shot gun in his hand
at the time, and before he could change it the tiger
was too far ahead. Making for the nullah, which was
in one part clear of jungle, he was seen frism two how-
dahs on the extreme left to wade across the nullah and
enter the grass on its borders • but he was too far off
to make it desirable to fire as in the boundless plain
of grass there was every chance of losing him if missed.
As he appeared to be secure in the shelter of the gram,
they waited for the line to come up, but he bed mean-
wnile made off, and, though the wallah and grass were
carefully heat for some time, he was not seen again.
This exactly proved how true it is that the cold !wagon
when the plain. are covered with long grafts is not the
season for tiger shooting. Had it been two months
later and the grass all burned, they would no doubt
have bagged him. It is satisfactory to know, having
missed him, that he is still there for any adventure-
some sportsman who may come this way in March
or April.

DEATH OF A POLITICAL PRISONER.
An inquest has been held at Cork, at the Convict Prison in
Spice Island, respecting the death of one of the political
prisoners, who was alleged to have suffered from excessive
punishments for breaches of discipline and during the in-
vestigation statements of a serious character were made
with reference to the general treatment of the convicts.
The deceased was a man named Tarbert, who had
been sent down from Mountjoy Prison in Pew, as
unfit for "cellular discipline "—that is, constant sepa-
rate confinement, and a certificate from Mr. McDon-
nell was sent down with him specifying his unfitness
for that sort of treatment. From the evidence of the
governor, Mr. l'eter Hay, it appears that the deceased
was constantly getting himself into trouble by breaches
of diecipline. He was repeatedly reported by different
officers for acts of misconduct, which were punished
with restriction to bread-and-water dietary and con-
finement in cells. The punishments were only partially
carried out, the medical officer reporting the man
unable to bear them. The offences were generally
of • trivial character. On one occasion he got
three days' bread and water for "unnecessary
talk which he continued contrary to orders ; "
in another, for breach of regulations in un-
necessarily going to the rear, he was sentenced
to three days' bread and water, and forfeiture of a
month's marks. Disrespectful language to the officers
was a frequent source of complaint. The man appears
to have been exceedingly irritable and obstinate, and
constantly in subdued revolt against the rigid system
of the prison. The governor stated that the man had
been punished an extraordinary number of times, and
that there were fifty others who were as often under
punishment. The governor added that the regulations
left him no option with regard to the punishment, and
that it was not inflicted more frequently than
was absolutely required. This was stated in answer
to come questions in which the coroner intl.
mated that he considered it rather hard to enforce
the regulations so rigidly against a delicate man.
Dr. Kelly, the 'medical superintendent of the prison,
said that the deceased died if acute dropsy, for which
a bread-and-water dietary was rather beneficial than
otherwise. He differed from Dr. McDonnell in his
opinion as to the effects of the punishment., and did
not comider they did the man any harm. He
emphatically denied that he had any ill-feeling to the
man, and stated that be had frequently inspected him,
1 and whenever he found him unfit for punishment he
Ihad the sentence remitted. . „

The resident apothecary differed from Dr. Kelly
and said it was decidedly calculated to reduce his
strength