The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-08-28
Periious Adventure with a Tiger.


Hunt, the Governor of the Fort of Tannah,
about seven or eight miles from Bombay;
and as had an appointment at home in the
morning, and the night was remarkably fine,
with brilliant moonlight,I declined the hos.
pitable invitation ofmy host and hostess to re.
main with them during the night; and order.
ed my pulaquin to be ready at ten o'clock.
l left Tannah at that hour for Bombay
A great portion ofthe way was over level
plain of some extent, and while we were
in the midst Of this, the bearers, of whom
there were eight, four to carry and four for
a relay, with two mussaujees, or lantern
bearers, who carry their lights in the moon
light as well as in the dark,as matter of et-
ique,te which it is thought disrespectful to
omit-in short the whole party of ten in an
instant disappeared, scattering themselves
in all directions, and each running at his ut,
most speed. l was perfectly astonished at
this sudden halt, and wholly unable to con-
lecture its cause; and all my calling and re.
monstrance was in vain. In casting my
eyes behind the palaquin, however, saw,
to my horror and dismay, huge tiger in
full career toward me, with his tail almost
perpendicular, and with q growl that indi-
Gated too distinctly the intense satisfaction
with which lie anticipated savory morsel
to oppease his hunger.
There was not moment to lose, or even
to deliberate. To get out of the palaquin
and try to escape, would be running into
the jaws of certain death-to remain within
it was the only alternative. The palaquin
is an oblong chest or box, about six feet
long, two feet broad, and two feet high
1t has four short legs for resting it upon the
ground, three or four inches only above
the soil. Its bottom and sides are fiat, and
its top is gently convex to carry off the rain.
By pole projecting from the center of each
end, the bearers carry it on their shoulders,
and the occupant lies stretched upon thin
mattress on an open cane bottom, like
couch or bed, with pillow beneath his
head The mode Of entering and leaving
the palaquin is through square opening on
each side, which when the sun or rain
requires it, may be closed by a sliding door;
this is usually composed of Venetian blinds
to allow light and air, in a wooden frame,
and may be fastened, if needed by small
brass hook and eye. Everything about the
palaquin, however, is made as light as pos
sible, to lessen the labor of the bearers,
and there is no part Of the paneling or sides
more than half an inch thick, if as much.
All could do, therefore, was, in the short.
est possible space of time, to close the two
sliding doors, and lie along on my back
had often heard that if you can suspend
your breath and put on the semblance OF
being dead, the most ferocious o wild beasts
will leave you. l attempted this. by hold.
ing my breath as long as possible, and re-
naming as still as a recumbent statue. But
| found it of no avail. The doors were
hardly closed before the tiger was along.
horrible. He first butted one of the sides
with his head, and as there was no resist.
ence on the other, the palaquin went over on
its beam ends, and lay perfectly fiat, with
the cane bottom presented to the tigers view
Through this and the mattress, heated nc
doubt by my lying on it, the odor of the liv.
ing flesh came out stronger than through the
wood, and the snufing and smelling were
repeated with increased strength. l Ger.
tainly expected every moment that, with a
powerful blow of one of his paws, he would
break in some part of the palsquin, and
drag me out for his devouring. But another
buttng of the head against the bottom oftht
palaquin rolled it over on its convex top
and then it rocked to and fro like a cradle
All this while was obliged, Of course
to turn my body with the revolutions of the
palaquin itself; and every time moved,
dreaded lest it should provoke some fresh
aggression. The beast, however, wanting
sagacity, did not use his powerful paw as
expected, and giving it up in despair, set uE
hideous howl of disappointment, and stink
ed off in the direction from whence he came
rejoiced, as may be we'll imagined, at the
cessation of all sound and smell to indicate
his presence, but it was full quarter o
an hour before had courage to open one
of the side doors, and put my head out tt
see whether he was gone or not. Happily,
he had entirely disappeared, and was in
stantly relieved
The next course to be considered was
whether should get out and walk to Bonn
bay, distance of four miles, now nea
mid night, or whether l should close my
door and remain where was. deemed
this the safest plan, and remained accord
iBgy; when, about half an hour after mid
night, all my bearers returned, with severa
poems, or foot soldiers, and muskets, pistols
lances, and sabres, enough to capture an'
f Kill dozen tigers; but these were too late
to be OF any use. They made many apollo
gies for leaving me, but said that, as ont
of them would be certain of being seized BY
the tiger if they remained, and no ont
could say which, they thought it best tha
all should try at least to escape. and Ireadi
!, ly forqave them; after which, they bore mt