The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1849-05-05
owooDsFIELD, OHIO, SATURDAY, MAY 5, 1919
A Horrid Story.

/ II IIUTTlu DLVTy.
The following shocking narration is
taken from DR.. AcIan's travels in India:
81 was obliged Yesterday afternoon
10 60 down the river for a Short dis
tance; 1 had boat and three natives.
When had completed my business |
returned, and was padding along, not
far from the bank, just on this side Of
those enormous blocks OF iron rock
which keep the river from overfowing,
and had just rounded the point, when
one Of my men called out most vehe-
tiently, "I.ook. sir, look there is a
tiger" My eyes were immediate
ly turned in the direction towards
whichhe pointed. A man was tearing,
springing, bounding towards the river,
and a hundfed yards behind him follow.
ed large panther, pursuing him with
those rapid leaps for which the panther
is SO famous. ~ +. ''''. sN'..." ? .
~ instantly ordered my people to
pull towards the shore, in hopes Of res.
cuing the poor wretch who thus strug,
gled for his life. Before we had reach
ed the bank, the man had made bound
into the water, and stood immersed up
to the neck. ] suppose he was too
much exhausted to swim. for we could
hardly hear his voice as he called US to
make haste. At,his instant saw the
dark blue snout Of an enormous aliga.
tor rising slowly above the surface, as
he made his way towards his intended
victim. shouted to the man -"Crock.
odile! crockodile!" He heard me, hes
ilated an instant, and then rushed back
to the bank. .''' ''' q"
"This sudden movement disconcert-
ed the panther, who started back few
PAGES, and the next moment our boat
wasin reach. "Come in," exclaimed.
The man made spring-tbe panther
Ieaped forward -and as | siezed the
former by the arm, the latter siezed him
by the leg. Oh, the shrek Of the poor
victim! lshall never forget it. Unfor-
tunately had not brought my rifle, but
shouted to the men 10 strike the beast
with their ours. But no-the coward.
Iy wrethes shrank down in the farther
end Of the boat, and would not move.
| could do nolhing, therefore, ,bu, pull
at the mans shoulders, while his horrid
shrieks were ringing in my ears. Had
lei 60, the panther would have instant.
y carried him off. Had there been an.
other European with me the man might
have been saved.
This takes a long time to describe,
bu, it was the WORK of only few Sec
onds. Presently found that | was
drawing the man towards me; looked.
and saw the flesh Of his leg peeling off
in the jaws Of the panther, until it came
to the ancle, where with one craunch,
the bone was severed, and the beas.
gailoped off with the fearful mou.hful.
| now drew the man, who by this time
was quite senseIess, into the boat. /
tied my handkerchief tightly round the
upper part Of his leg, and with q piece
Of wood formed a sort o. tourniquet.
We brought him to Cuttuck, aud sent
him at once to the hospital but he died
in the course ofa few hours. '"What
a horrible afairw exclaimed a voice
near me. "But was under the impress.
sion," said /, "that the voice or even
the eye OF man, was sufficient to make
any beast quail" $50 il is, provided
they are neither very hungry nor very
much excited. This beast had been
engaged in long chase, and nothing
could have frightened him from his prey.