Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-03-12
eady for spring. He looked exceedingly

fierce, and no wonder, for the poor wretch
had been kept with little or no food ever
since his capture in pi,fall in one Of the great
teak forests Of the Malabar Ghauts upward
Of two days before. The royal animal seem-
ed very i'll disposed to afford sport to folks
who had treated him so uncourteously, for
not an inch would he bulge even when the
netting was drawn up, and clear course
opened for him into the ring. Perhaps he
felt alarmed at the dreadful huIlabaloo Of so
many thousands Of people bawling out.
drums beating, and horns sounding, rows Of
elephants tossing up their trunks, and horses
snorting and pranclng all round. Possibly,
too, he might not have felt tempted by the
dainty company Of the jack asses with their
bottles Of peas. At all events, no poking Of
sticks or humping on the cage could make |
him start tack or sheet, till his hind quarters
were blown up by handful Of squibs and
crackers cast into his den.
The instant the explosion took place, the
tiger gave tremendous roar, and sprang
forwards with great violence into the circle,
where he stopped suddenly, and then glared
his eyes round with most suspicious scowl.
After surveying the ground for few seconds,
he turned tail, and in most cowardy FASH
ion ran back; but, observing the door Of
his den closed, he swcrvcd on one side, and
leaped with prodgious violence against the
ropes. Had the cords not been left so loose
that his force became expended before they
were drawn tight, verify believe he might
have broken through the mcshes or pulled
down some Of the posts. Instead of this he
merely got entangled with the lines, and,
losing all his patience, If he ever possessed
any, he ragged and roarcd. lashing his tail
about in the most furious style, till he got
free. Then turning round, he shot across
the area like Congrcve rocket. and after
making an immense cat-ike spring, pounced
upon one of the mock figures Of men, the
head Of which he twisted of in an instant.
During this proceeding he gave utterance TO
a fierce growl Or murmur of satisfaction,
enough 10 make ones blood run cold. As
soon as he detected the trick, he first flung
the head violently from HIM, and then tore
the figure all to pieces with his claws, and
then made another attempt to break through
the enclosure, but with no better success
than at first.
really thought at one time he would have
effected his escape by climbing over at the
place where his cage stood. Boil, his fore
paws were actually on the roof and, with no
great struggle he might have gained the top,
whence his leap into the midst of the crowd
must have produced pretty tolerable SEN
sation. guess. Fortunately courageous
little boy, about twelve years old, who had
perchcd himself on the cage, to see the fun,
stood quite firm when all his older compan-
ions scattered to the right and left, in ter
ror Of the tigers open Jaws close TO them.
This bold young fellow held in his hand
short stout club, and the instant the tiger
showed himself above the ropes, he lent him
such sound rap, on the nose, that the ami
NAL fell back again into the enclosure, heels
overhead, with sort of inverted somerset.
While shout of applause rung over the
whole space, an old Mahometan soldier, an
officer of the extinct dynasty, remarked to US
ina whisper that the exploit was Just the sort
Of thing which his former master Hydcr Ali,
might have been expected TO do in his youth.
The baflled tiger now attacked the other
figure Of man and wrenched of his head as
he had done that Of the other; but, instead of
getting into passion as he had done on the
first occasion, when he discovered the cheat,
he stood perfectly still, with his tail on the
ground, his head dropping and turned away
from the figure, as If he felt ashamed Of
having been twice deceived. In this attitude
he remained several minutes, with his eyes
half closed, slightly moving his head from
side 10 side; after which he deliberately laid
himself down. A dozen yelping dogs we're
now turned in, some Of which prudently con-
tented themselves with taking distant view
of the royal beast. Not one Of them ap-
preached him except an English greyhound,
and even he was not such fool as to press
matterStoo far, but merely barked and snarl-
ed; once or twice he came so close to the
tigers nose that we wondered the monster
had not laid his paw upon him, and crushed
him at blow. Meanwhile, the rest of the
dogs in body attacked one Of the chained
up lcopards-a most unfair contest but as
he had the good fortune TO catch one of them
on the hip, he gave such evidence of his Gu
pacity that the barkers, leaving the noble
game, one and all scampered of in chase of
the donkies. These poor beasts, terrified by
the sound Of the bottles at their tails, and
verified 10y the dogs, were soon dragged to
the ground, after which distant action was
recommended against the leopards, with no
results, as military men express it.
ny this Time nrobably the rajah, and GER
tainly his company were pretty we'll tired Of
so much nonsense and his highncss, turning
TO one OF his courtiers desired him TO 20 down
to the court with bow and arrow, which
was handed TO him. The officer decended
accordingly, and having passed round to that
side OF the ring where the tiger lay, very de-
liberatcly shot an arrow at the unof1endinp
animal. lie Immediately sprung at tho ropcs
) but upon receiving another arrow in bis
breast, the poor creature fell ack, aud stood
looking reproachfulIy at his opponent. This
+, gave the unconc> rned courtier time to draw
third arrow from bis culver, and so on until
the wretched beast was literally bristled all
over like aporcupinc /; yet, to our great sur
! prise, he still kept his feet. As the arrows
pierced his side, he merely turned round his
head and broke them off with his mouth, leay.
ing the bar far within. We observed an