The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-05-18
THE DAILY DISPATCH.
THE MAN.EATER.


a "Man.Eater," is taken from the Old Forest
Ranger, book noticed i'd this paper fe W
days since. The "Man- EATER of India is
either Tiger or Lion, that having tasted
human fiesh has afterwards desire for il that
makes him seek it alone for his food. He es.
tabishes his lai- convenient TO village and
every now and then carries off one of It's iuhab.
from home. The "Man-Eater" becomes the ter
ror of the villagers and in some instances for
very long time carries oa his depredations
before he is killed. He often grows very bold
| and has been known to enter villages and bear
off his prey in the open day. But to our tale:
s,Settlingo A DIan Eater.
| On the banks of the river Cauvery, stands
| one Of those mean.looking villages, which oc.
cur at intervals OF a few miles, throug hout the
| greater part of the Mysore country. A small
mud fort long since dsmanlied, and now al
most concealed by jungle, overlooked tine
/ sluggish stream, whose dark waters iaZly
| licked the crumbling walls. The snow white
| egret and the stately crane, waded among the
shadows, with their long necks ourstretched,
| in attitudes ofinense watchfulness. The scaly
| alligator lay baskng on The half covered sand
the reeds, utterng its querulous note, as its
| bright chesnut wings quivered in the level
| beams OF The setting sun. Herds of sluggish
| bufaloes, their bare black hides pastered with
| mud, we're slowly returning from heir pas
lure, sunburnt urchin perehed upon the back
| of The most docile, shouting at the top Of his
| voice wild recitativio, addressed to his charge
| who responded by deep surly grunts. The,
| shrill cry of the wild peacock, perched upon
.har haft of tprf
| ed by his. male from the rank thickei under
| meath. And the soft cooing OF the turtle dove
whispered among the mango-leoves. AS eve
| ming adv anced, the huge vamplre-batsN which
| hung IN clusters, suspended by their hInde r
laws from the dropping branches of the ban.
yan.,rees, dropped, one by one, and glided ST.
| lentiy away in search of food. Laborers, with
their black blankets hanging over their shoul.
ders came IN Struggling parties from the fields,
driving their buiocks before them and the
| women returned from the wells in picturesque
groups, each supporting an eafthen jar of an.
| rque form, gracefully balanced on her head |;
whilst the silver bang les which encirced their
ankles, made music TO their light elastic step.
| Such was the peaceful scene, as eyenngclosed
| upon lonely village,
| But al intervals, a wild startling shout would
come booming on the breeze, and ere its fall.
ling notes had died away, the cry was taken
| up lUui OppOSttO HuditCis HIS WIS lHS
! Shikar cryf OF the Mysore woodsman, raised
for The purpose of soaring any wandering Ii
| ger from their path and, to an Indian sports
| man, told lis tale. A jungle village on the
| banks of river is generally haunted by III
ger; if there be ruined fort overgrown with
grass and brushwood, such probability is much
| increased-and whenever the wood cutter re-.
| turns hurriediy at sunset, shouting that omin.
Gus holia, the chances are that tiger dogs
| his steps.
| The sun had set, and the shades of night
were FAST approaching, as Rang Row, the ven.
Grated priest OF the village, strobe along the
banks OF the river 10 convenient spot for max
| ing his evening ablulions. He returned with
| dIgniied condescension, the salutations humbiy v
offered by each RyoA whom he me, and pro-
ceeded on, wrapped in his own mediiatons.-
Little thought the proud Btahmn. as he pom
| dered over The probable success of his last pro.
| jeCt in priestly craft, that he was not doomed
| 10 reap its truns.
| AT winding ofthe river, less than quarter
of mile from the village, Lutte bay,
| sheltered iron observation by some aloe bush
es. The water was not too deep; and soft
| sand, pleasant for the foot 10 tread, shelved
| gradually into clear pool
"Here shall 1 enjoy a refreshing. bath, -
thong hi the luxurious priest" land then shall
the antelope-eyed Luxshmee welcome ME tc
| her arms"
Having no clothes to cucumber him, save Q
| cotton wrapper round his ioins, the devour
worshipper of VsshnoOA waded at once into The
| stream, muttering prayer at every step, and
| commenced the important ceremony ofabiutioI
by pouring water from small brass vessel
over his shaven crown and well oiled skin.
What rustic was that? The Brahmin's ears
| heard not. They were stunned by the cold
! stream that poured over them. His ewes. TOO
| ctnSad Ptae wnuid he bauo
bright green orbs glaring fercely upon him
| through the branches Of an aloe bush at MS
| side. His hour had come, tor The famous Man.
eater OF Shikarpoor was upon his trail. Her
eve had rested on her victim, and she thirsted
for his blood. Her grim head was cautiously
| thrust through the bushes, and the striped
monster issued from her lair with sreathy
tread. Dragging her belly along the sand, her
tail switching impatleDtiy, her ears laid fiat
upon her neck, and her whiskered lips drawn
back, 50 as to expose her formidable array oi
tusks, ste crepI silently TO the brink OF the
wafer; there, gathering herself together, she
| gtared for one moment on the devoted wretch,
like triumphant iend aud bounding for
ward, threw herself upon him with roar,
which thrilled through his guilty soul. and
drowned the den b shrek which he uttered IN
his agony. Struggle there was none-the paw
of The tigress fell like bar OF iron upon his
| fnl teeth tnei in his throat. Death was almost
instantaneous. senseiess body hung guiv-
eringajn her grasp, as she tuIued TO the shore.
bat she still shook il with ferocious energy,
aud buried her tusks deeper still, as il throob
ed at the last convulsiVe gasp.
This fearful death had been the fate of many
poor Ryot and woodcutter belonging &c The
village, lor The tgless had haunted il during
, several months. Their fate created little ssn
satiou-they were only S00drdS But wner
herd boy, Who had Witnessed this tragedy
ran 10 the village, screaming Bagh Bagh
and announced thai tine Man-eater was sup
ping on the blessed carcass OF BrehmH
priest. the whole brotherhood were FoDseC
from their apathy into q slate OF keen excite
ment. Wsmen ran about beating iheir breasts
and howling their national lanenJ. aud The VII
lnse resoupded with The dismal cries Of Wan
! HaA! Bagh Bogh -
The administrator OF justice pefned { flow
ery ietter 10 his surerior,the English Burrak
SGbib I oi whose arrival IN 4 neighbcrtas
village he had that day been informed.
Having described the cad event III glowing
f language, he proceeded 10 beg that ''Ih
i. mig hty warrior, the great and powerful lord