The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-12-28
Life iH India-- Thrilling Incidents

The following Is an extract of 4 letter
from Rev. F.. =. Srott of Glover. mis-
sionary in Central Assam. India
You refer m your letter 10 the Gazci-
teer'> description of India. liz animals. dc
all true in letter and spirit The paths
we daily tread are infested hv those Zero
ciou> beasts. Natives are often .nrel to
d.ath by will bufi:Iloe> or Seizel and
eaten hv tig1r>-the two animals most to
hr dreaded iiu; have never hc,lrl of :.
Christian missionary being harmed in anv
WHY hy wild beast. believe in special
providencc~. Let me- tell v,u in few
words one or twn incidents of mv life in
India. 10 show my reasons in parl Tor S..ll
i decided belief
Not long ago WAS travelling through
L wild part "t the country. Ai one poini
| was in a den>, jungle. with onlv one
man with me. Suddenly there emerged
from the Jungle iniu the path, few rrl>
before ne, a large wild buffalo. rhe-e
solitary ones are those which have been
beaten la fight. a,d have lett tie herd in
di>gu>i- They are ALWAYS in angry moal
ami i:,r more dan.erou> than a herd. Ia
>tanlly he tossed hi> head with a menac-
In@ shake. hr;lrli>l.ing a paig of hnrr>
lhnut four feet long. ihey are often >ix
ltet) AMI setting head and horns a. If for 4
fight. lac Spy;lng towards ms WAS de-
:cncetc>>-no tree. or ANYTHING to climb or
seek refuge behind or under Death nev-
cr seemed ~ near. BuI turned and run
-whlihcr | knew nut-yet determined 10
lcn"tlien the short remaining space a.
much a. possible. thought uf NV wife
and hal'c awaiting my comm. at evening
| thought of the peri>hin" heaihen around
me also Thought of that saving /:
''Providence he'll p> tho~e who help ihem-
selves, and | thought of the furious beast
close npcn my heels - PRAYED a. | ran
and ran IL | prayed. Almost mncon-
sciou>ly my feet turnel a~i.le inio an al
most lli;llen pathway Why, | could not
tel but there was One who Jill know ;
ior Just a. the hoi breath of the baiS. waS
upnn my back, and in iew more leaps h;>
hcrn> would impale me without help.
suddenly came to a precipice. some 3n
feet hloii, midway up which, just opposite
the place where WAS, there WAS = narrow
shelf of rock. Not an instant WAS 10 lsr
lost. threw myself down anu was safe.
thank God. The furious beast stood
pecring over the bank just over INV head.
lashing his tail and roaring beyond de-
scriplion. wis rescued in les than an
hour by some boatmen coming near
During the last lew months a tiger has
caught several of our cnws and oxen /.
e, belonging to our Christian village.
The other day man came running in,
saying that they had discovered large
tiger in small patch OF jungle, about a
mile distant, and beSought us TO go out
and KILT We had no elephan,-there
was great danger. But felt it a duty to
60; several natives had been eaten OF late.
probably by this same bold tiger. He
had now chosen hiding place in the
edge OF Il little village, within few leaps
Of several houses, waiting for nighlt..ll.
Ies, must 60. took my trusly rifle ::
armed dozen OF my AIikir young men.
and native with shotgun, (sooal to
make noise.) We found the brute. but
50 closely secreted that it was impossible
20 get sure aim at any vital part, and no
tree from which to make the attack The
noise OF voices around him BEGAN 10 ir.,
lorth from his cavernous depths mU,i Uul-
NOUS growls. But though becoming an
cry, he refused to show himself. The sun