Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1847-11-11
EIR. TEArTPToN rTTEonUC-
TroN TO A HoyAv, TIGER.

]
/ "When was young shaver. having lived
/ IN the world some twenty years OF so. was
engaged as sort of supenumerary CLERK 10
the house of Wilson S Brown, a, Calcutta
and having no one else who could be SO east
/ ly spared. they determined TO dispatch ne on
! a business negotiation TO one of the naive
princes, about eight hundred miles up the
country. travelled with party Of the ------
dragons, commanded by Captain Sngsby.
a man about five years older than myself, and
as good fellow as ever lived. Well, some
how or other, he took a great fancy TO me, and
nothing would do but that should aecompa
ny him IN atl his sporting expedition loi
should tell you that he was thorough sports
man, aud believe entertained some strange
notion that he should be able 10 make one of
me- One unfortunate morning he came into
my tent, and woke me out o. a sound sleep
which had fallen into, after being keptawake
half the night by the most diabolicai howlS
and screams that ever were heard out Of Bed
lam, expecting every minute to see some of
their performers step in to sup, not with but
upon me.
Come, Frampton, wake up, man., cried
lSlingsby, here is glorious news
t'What is il p sad /, have they found
another hamper Of ale among The baggageP
GALE nonsense was the reply. : "A shik-
karee (natiye hunter) has just come into camp
to say that young bullock was carried of
yesterday, and is lying half eaten nthe jungle
about mile from this place; 50 at last, my
boy, shall have the pleasure Of introducing
you to a real live tiger
"'Thank ye.' said |, you are; but if IFS at
all inconyenent to YOU this morning you can
put ii Off; another day will do quite as well
for me-l'm not in the least hurry
at was Of no use, howeyer all | got Tor
my pains was poke in the ribs, and an IN
junction 10 lose no time in getting ready.
"Betore we had done breakfast the great
man Of the neghborhood, Rajah somebody or
other, made his appearance on his elephant,
attended by train of tawnies, who were TO
undertake the agreeable duty OF beating. Not
being considered lit TO take care of mysef---a
melancholy fact Of which was only too con-
sciousAit was decreed that Slingsby and
should occupy the same howdah. According
! ly, at the time appointed, we mounted our ell
ephant; aud, having formidable array OF
guns handed up to US, we started
''As my companion, and indeed every one
else concerned in the matter, evidently con-
sidered il completely as party Of the utmost
pleasure, and seemed TO be prepared 10 epjoy
themselves, so | endeavored 10 persuade my
SELF that | did so too and, consoled by the re-
1 Election that if the tiger had positively eaten
half a bullock yesterday afternoon, 1t never
could be worth his while 10 scale our elephant
and run the risk Of being shot for the sake Of
devouring me, felt rather boldthan otherwise.
I After proceeding for some distance through
J the jungle, and rousing, as il seemed TO me,
every beast that had come out Of Noah's Ark
except tiger. our elephant, who had hitherto
conducted himself IN a very quiet and gentle
maa!y manner, suddenly raised his trunk, and
trumpeted several times-a sure sign, as the
mahout informed US, that a tiger was some
what close at hand.
"'Now, then, Prampton,' cried my com
panion, cooking his double barrel, look out!
"'For squalls, returned finishing the sen
tence for him. pray, is there any particular
part they like 10 be shotin whereabouts shall
aim p
"'Wherever you cam replied Slingsby
'be ready, there he is, by Jupiter; and, as he
spoke. the long grass about hundred yards
in front ofus was gently agitaied. and caught
glimpse OF what appeared yellow and black
streak moving swiftly away in an opposite
direction. Tally ho,' shouted Slngsby, sa-
uting the tiger with both barrels. An angry
roar proved that the shots had taken elect,
and in another moment large tiger, ashing
hissides with his tail. and his eyes glazing with
rage, came bounding towards us.
"'Now, what's to be done p exclaimed l.
If you had but left him alone, he was going
away as quietly as possible
"Slingsby's only reply was smile. and,
Selling another gun. he fired again. On re
ceiving this shot, the tiger stopped for mo
ment, and then, with a Tremendous bound,
sprang towards us, alighlng at the foot Of
small tree, not yard from the elephants
head.
"'That last shot crippled him. said my
companion, 'or we should have had the pleas
ure Of his nearer acquaintance. Now for the
coup de graes,, fire awayp and as he spoke
he leaned forward 10 take a deliberate aim,
when suddenly the front OF the howday gave
way. and TO my horror, Slingsby was precip.
itated over the elephants head mo- as i seem
ed to me, the very Jaws Of the tiger A fierce
growl, and suppressed cry Of agony, proved
that the monster had seized his prey, and
had completely given my friend up for lost,
when the elephant, although greatly alarmed,
being urged on by the Enahout. took step for
ward, and. twisting his trunk round the top of
the young tree, beat il down across The Ioins
of the tiger, thus forcing the tortured animal
10 quit his hold, and afiordng Slngsby an op-
poriunity of crawling beyond the reach of lis
teeth and claws. Forgetting my OWE fears
in the nnminence Of my friends danger, | on
" waited Till could get shot al the tiger,
without running the RISK of hurting Sliugsby,
and then fired both barrels at its head, and was
lucky enough to wound il MORALLY. The 9TH
or sporismen coming up at the moment, the
brute received his quietus, but poor Slingsby's
ann was broken where the tiger had seized il
with his teeth, and his shoulders and chest
We're severely lacerated BY lis claws, nor did
he entirely recover the shock for many months.
And this was my FIRST introduction 10 a royal
tiger, sir. saw many Of them afterwards,
during the time spentin India, but can't say
| ever had much liking for their society
umph'
A gentleman in Providence thought he had
discovered coal mine, and ofcourse made his