National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1867-02-01
Life in India.

Glover. C., Il miSSio1aIy Ill Schtidi
Assam, India.
81 You refer in your letter to the
Gazettcr's description of India, its
animals, &c.,-all true in letter and
snirit. The paths we daily tread are
infested by those ferOciOus beasts.
Natives are often gored to death by
wild buffaloes; or seized and eaten
bv tigers--the two animals most to
he dreaded. But have never heard
of a Christian missionary being
harmed in any way by wild beast.
T believe in special providences. Let
me fell You in few words one or
TWO incidents Of ny life in India, to
show nv reasons in part for such
decided bellei.
Not long ago / was travelling
through wild part of the country.
Atone point Twas i'll a dense jungle,
with only one man with me. Sud
denly there emerged from the jungle
INTO the path, few yards before
me, a large wild buffalo. (These
solitary ones are those which have
been beaten in fight, and have left
the herd in disgust. They are al
WAYS in angry mood and far more
dangerous than a herd.) Instantly
he tossed his head with menacing
shake. brandishing pair of horns
about four feet long, (they are often
SIX feet and setting head and horns
as for fight, he sprang towards me.
was detenceless-nO tree, or any
thing to climb or seek refuge behind
or under Death never seemed so
near. But turned and ran-whith-
er | knew not-yet determined to
lengthcn the short remaining space
as much as possible. | thought Of
mr. wife and babe awaiting my com
ing at evening. | thought OF the
.perisbing heather around me. |
also thought Of that saying " Pro
violence helps those who help them
selves" and | thought of the turi-
ous beast close upon my heels 80 |
prayed rs | ran and ran as prayed.
Almost uneousriousiy my feet turn
led aside into AT almost hidden path
way Why. | could not tell g.; but
there was one who did know for
aust as the hot breath OF the beast
yaS on my back, and in n few leaps
his horns would impale me without
s,e!p ! suddenly came to apI acipice.
some thirty ttet high. midway up
winch, lust opposlte,the place where
was. there was Il narrow shelf of
rock. Not an instant vas ~ be lost.
! threw myself down aud WAS safe,
thank God. The furious beast stood
pcerng over the bank just over my
mead, laShirg his tail and roaring
beyond description. | was rescued
III less than an hour BY some boat
men coming near.
During The last six months a tiger
has caught several of our COWS and
oxen i. e., belonging to or thriS-
tian village. The other day man
came running III, saying that they
had discovered IA large tiger in Il
small patch Of jungle, about a mile
distant, and besought TN to go out
aud XII il We had 10 elephant
there was great danger. But felt
it duty to go; several natives had
been eaten OF late, probably 10y this
bold tiger. lie had now chosen a
hiding place in the ed re of little
village, within a few leaps Of sever
nj houses, waiting for nghttali. Yes
] must 90. took my trusty rife
armed II dozen OF my Mihir young
men, and native with Il shot gun
good to make noisc.) We found
the brute, but SO closely sccreteG
that ii was impossible to get SURE
aim at any vital par,, and no tree
from which to make the attack. The
noise of voices around him began
10 draw forth from his cavernou,
depths most emiuous groWls. Bu
though becoming angry, he refused
to show himsplt. The sun was nov
setting; in few minutes more th'
darkness would render p nice a..
with my rifle impossible. VIA
should be done +. not :luch tim
was lief, for laying pans. y rccl
less native, unscen by me, threw
upon the tiger a brand Of fire. |
MI instant he lcapeG TO ieariu
height in the air, aud catching sigh
of us, gave two or three uenent
oas leaps towards us. One lea
more, and he wonla easily reach u
lie was now i'll plain sight Stol
ping moment as though maxim
sure of Il foothold, with eyes Of livi
fire, and tail wagging with savag
expectancy, he would have been
picture of beauty il viewed fro
some safe retreat. But you ca
imagine that, just as ] was situated
A | had no time or disposition to Spen
N IN admiring whatever beauty mlgl
N be presented in the abstract. QuiC
as thought my eye ran along Il
sights Of my rifle. q, that was
fatal delay for him, but life for M
God III mercy gave, direction to II
ball, and the fierce monster roll,
on his side liieless. Again "prai
the Lord' for delivcrancc and Wet
ry.
To give you some idea Of this
ger, fancy an animal built very III
cat, except that the legs are larg
and stronger proportionally; II Il
4 inches in length, (of this the tai
feet nearly feet high, and weig