The Portland daily press., 1865-05-19

An Encounter with a TIGER,

Au 1HGOuubef WIN Tiger.
A Correspondent of the Dacca Nescs, a
journal published in the heart Of India. gives
the following account Of an encounter with a
tiger: 'a
Mr. Sarkies was some years Sae of the
keenest sportsmen in Dacca, but he has for
some time past given up entirely all kinds of
field sports. He came to Dacca few days
a go to witness the races, and being desirous,
before returning toCalcusta to visit the scenes
OF his former exploits, and see If his hand had
not lost cunning, he obtained the loan oil
several elephants from Khsjeh AbdOol Gunny,
and on Tuesday last proceeded with couple
OF friends beyond Tezgong. On reaching the
Junges ne heard deep growls, Indicating the
Vlcluage OF atiger; the guide also whispered
the ominous word Bag.
A veteran sportsman would not go out IT,
ger-shooting without full knowledge of the
elephant he bestrode, as a great deal of the
success, or, as il may be danger, depends on
the flrmness or timidity of the animal. The
animal ridden by Salkies was offered him
from among several on the spot, which gave
him the tacit assurance of its being the best
In the let, and adapted for the purpose. This
elephant was urged on, the others forming
line. They had. not proceeded lar when the
tiger, rushing out of his cover, assailed one OF
the pad elephants. Mr.. Sarkies, with view
to draw him away from the elephant, fred
shot in a hap-hazard manner.
No sooner was the gun discharged than the
tiger charged upon Mr.. Sarkes' elephant, and
lacerated her ears, clawing her forehead
The elephant turned Immediately round as on
pivot, and retreated for her life, and strange
to say, the tiger dogged her heels for about
hundred yards, biting and clawing them all
the while. The elephant, maddened with fear
and pain, ran at furious. pace, SO that Mr.
Sarkies could with great difficulty retain his
seat, and as for shooting the tiger, it was an
impossiblIity. The tiger, being attached to
the heel OF the bathie, was not perceptible
from the back. s.,, -s..s-.s5zS
Mr.. Sarkies, fearing at the dangerous pace
the elephant was running, she might fall into
some ditch or other, or in all probability throw
of the howdah,-in either case loss of life
might have been the result, he, with the
greatest difficulty put his right foot on the
seat, with one hand clenching the front rail OF
the howdah, used his double gun as a pistol
and contiiyed TO fire it off towards the place
where he suspected the tiger to have been
running,-the growls OF the tiger alone indi-
eating that be was at dangerous proximity
to the heels of his elephant
ed The tiger, at this report, let 20 his hold
when The elephant, released from her rough
customer, ran like mad. No endeayors OF The
guide could stay her. Fortunately a number
OF elephants chaDced to be on the path that
the runaway was pursuing, and their guides,
seeing how the state Of things was, hemmed
her 10 and stopped her career. fH
Mr.. Sarkies was so disgusted by the coward.
ice OF the elephant, as we'll as the culpability
of the guide in giving him an elephant OF that
character, that he was for returning home,
when another guide told him to try another
elephant that would not disappoini him. The
howdah was shifted and Mr.. Sarkies proceed
ed to the spot where the tiger had left him
AS the field was denuded of tall jungles, the
tiger was clearly seen crouched on the same
spot; he allowed the elephant to approach him
within fifty yards, when with roar and a
bound he charged the elephant, who fully an
swered the praise bestowed on him, for he
stood as firm as a rock, and not a single step
did he recede, but with his trunk up he boldly
faced his advancing foe. p The tiger received
warm welcome, and was turned by a ball on
his shoulder, and as he was slowly retreating,
another ball on his back laid him PROSTATE,
when he was finally finished off by third
shot. rt 4.-EN
s My own experience In these kinds of
sports has not been much, but | have
seldom heard of tiger charging, biting and
dogging the heels of an elephant for nearly
four hundred yards in an open plain; their ma
ture is to remain under cover, from whence,
If disturbed, they make a charge, and retreat
again TO their shelter; but this animal being
one of the most ferocious kind, Mr.. Sarkies
was In imminent danger when his first ele-
phant ran away. Either fall Of the howdah,
which was afterwards found to have been
very loosely attached to the back, or of the ell
ephant itself, in its headlong career, would
have endangered his life. sds ~ o. -ii9