Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1858-03-11
MONMOUTH COUNTY HISTORICAL ASSN.
Perilous Adventure with a Tiger.

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bout a month co., a bastard named
Whitboy Swart, residing in the Zwarte
Ruggens, went out at daylight one morn
ing in search Of a horse. and while stroll
ling about the neighbour sod in which he
resides, his attention was attracted to-
wards a bush by the yelping OF three
young dogs, that had followed him from
his home. On approaching the spot to
which the sound directed him, he was star
tied by finding that his canine compan-
ions had joined a beautifully spotted tt
gress, that was lying on its back, with
which they appeared to be enjoying a
very satisfactory romp. Upon perceiving
the man, the animal sprang to his feet,
and Whitboy, though a noted hunter, and
an athletic, bold and active man, retrea-
tod from the spot, being unarmed, except
with a small switch or stick; the tigress
pursued him, and finding that he lost
ground, he resolved on wheeling about
and facing the animal, which with one
blow OF its paw, tore away part OF his
cheek, and would, with the violence Of
the conclusion, have knocked him to the
ground, had it not been for the support
he received from a small bush near him.
which prevented him from falling on his
back; probably to this circumstance he is
indebted for his life, for with the tjgress
above him he would have been perfectly
powcrless. Whitboy struck at the savage
beast with the switch in his possession.
but this also fell from his hand; to pre-
serve his face he now assumed a pugilis-
tic attitude, when the tigress seized hold
OF his arm; with his other hand he then
picked up a stone, which he placed in the
Jaws OF the enraged brute, to prevent his
arm from being bitten in two. This done
ne next seized his opponent by the throat
and by his great strength threw her down,
and placed the knee on the neck; forum
ately the dogs, though young, now har-
raised the enraged animal, and thus Kept
its paws engaged. The man then drew
his arm out of the jaws Of the animal, but
when he had almost e%xtricated it, the
stone fell out, and the animal seized his
hand, which was so severely bitten as to
be disabled. With the other he now took
the stone, and battered the tigress's nose
and teeth. In this position. and in the
greatest agony, be was two hours con-
tending with his enemy. He had a knife
in his pocket, but the other hand having
been rendered helpless, be could not open
the blade; be now contrivcd by main
strength to move himself and the tigress
to the spot where his switch lay, about
six yards of. The struggling of the Two
combatants became quite terrifc-the
ground was trampled quite hard, aud the
spot covered with blood. Reduced to the
last extremity, and believing the animal
to be in a similar state, he resolved on
encouraging the dogs to attack her. while
he Jumped up and ran off. After run
ming for about 800 yards, he looked
round and found the dogs coming on
alone. He then FASTENED to q farmers
house, to request assistance; they visited
the spot and curiously examined the small
clumps Of trees. but having no dogs on
which they could depend the search was
! soon given ", and Inc wounded nan con
veyed to his hone; his wounds were
dressed, and he. lay in a very precarious
state for four weeks, having been twice
attacked with lockjaw; his sufferings
were intense, n arm being entirely dis
abled, and the lower parts Of his body Sc
yerely lacerated. He was engaged alto
gether for two hours and a halt. Hopes
were however, indnIged, two days before
eur Informant left tho locality, that a
sound constitution and powerful nerves
would sustain him, and that he would I'll,
timately recover from injuries which must
have proved inevitably fatal to one OF less
physical power. The conflict Of Whitboy
and the tigress will rank amongst the
most marvellous adventures with beasts Of
prey in this country Graham's Ioen,
(South .atrica) Journal.