The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-07-31

tiger should happen to come off victor, who
knows but he may plunge right through
here, end do ua serious damage
ssNo danger, msster,' . reioined the guia,e.
g The serpent sis very large; and II tne
tiger escapes with life, he will not De IN Q
condition to meet smother foe.
aWhat q noise 70 said Wallace, Win
slight shudder. .,,
fhe sounds were indeed as terrible as
any / ever heard, or ever hope to near.
| Growls, snarls, shrieks, oars-sofneeines
loud and clear, and sometimes nearly
smotbered-mingled with tremendous
thrashiSp about and foundering among the
bushes. the tops Of which we could see in
violent agitation, made 10 our fears most
horrid din, and betokened the ferceness Of
the struggle for life and death between
these savage natives of the wilderness.
The noise lasted for some two or three
minutes, but gradually grew fainter toward
the end, and finally died out altogether.
With rifles cooked and ready for an instant
shot, we waited in anxious suspense some
| Eve minutes longer-when, not hearing any
further sound, / asked the guide If ne
thought the battle was over, and II 80,
which he supposed was the victor.
eft may be neither, master" ne answer
ed I" but if it is either, it ID the anaconda,
or we should have heard the tiger deparI
with a low growl. If you remain here' !
will 90 forward and see.'' :,
/" For heavens sake, then, don't be long J"
said nv friend rather nerVously :" ior
without YOU we might never get out of this
! Jungle and to tell the honest truth, don'
- - -, pofhnr hpuT.'
"Not even to enjoy such glorious sport r
laughed l. :, ,
ssGlorious sport, indeed I tell you
what, Major, I've changed my MIND aoG g,,,
hunting in this barbarous country, anu LII
be ready to depart with you tomorrow
morning, if you like"
with you." =, o1.,
The guide in the mean time had stealth
ily disappeared, and in less than i've NIL
nutes he returned and asked us to follow
him, remarking that the danger was oil
| over.
When we reached the place of the late
combat we beheld sight that almost made
the blood curdle in our veins. For space
of ten or twenty feet in diameter the thick
bushes, reeds, and vines were beaten down
as if log had rolled over them and almost
in the centre of this opening, spotted with
blood, lay sleek tiger, with the crushed
head of huge anaconda in his mouth, and
himself enveloped and crushed to death in
the glistening folds Of the monstrous SER
pent. AS our guide had suggested, neither
had been victor, for both had died in the
contest-the tiger crushing the head of his
foe in his jaws, and the latter in turn
crushing and choking him with his expiring
| strength.
at is sometimes the case that both die
in similar MANNER" remarked our guide.
"What glorious trophies to carry home
to our friends in England !! said Wallace,
enthusiastically. 81 would not part with
them for thousand pounds 7"
81 would have given fifty to have seen
the fight" said |.
With the assistance of Joreb, we skinned
both the serpent and beast, and took the
prizes back to the village, which we reached
little after noon, and where we were quite
lionized for prowess in conquering two such
terrible foes-we having paid our guide
well for his share, and bribed him to keep
our secret.
But we had hunted enough-at least, my
friend expressed himself as perfectly salts
fied-and SO the next day we set off together
for Bombay, and thence in due time sailed
for England. Though for many years
resident of India, this was my only hunt
ing adventure worthy of particular men
ton.