The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1872-11-30

4 Para. EIenrfNc III rHg EAsr--.A BUFrAI.
AND Il Tt0Eis5I GoafBAr.l-A correspondent
of the London Standard, writing from Hons
Kong, October IL, describes one Of the enter
tainments supplied by the Mahurajah OF Sin
gapefe 10 the Grand Duke Alexis, in honol
| Of the visit Of the latter to the island. Iii
saFs;'" After luncheon the party proceed tc
witness fight between buffalo aud tiger
| Those who had never seen a combat Of this
kind would have been inclined to bet freely
on tue latter; but the natives said that the
chances were in favor Of the buffalo, and,
indeed, that the tiger was never known to
win.
The arena in which the animals were to
fight was of an oval form, some fifty feet long
by about twenty wide, in an enclosure Of
bamboo poles. fifteen feet high, firmly driven
into the ground and strongly fastened to-
gether. Similar poles, laid across the top,
form thereof The whole structure had the
appearance of gigantic cage. A platform
built outside enabled the more distinguish
cd visitors to have a good view of the inte-
rior from safe distance through the spaces
between the poles, while the general public
crowded round the cage as close as their re-.
spect for the claws of the tiger would allow
The buffalo was confined TO one end of the
cage by canvas curtain stretched across the
arena; the tiger was enclosed at the other
extremity by poles placed across from one
wall to the other. When the fight was to
begin the curtains were withdrawn, the poles
were removed, and the animals were for the
first time seen by the spectators.
/ The buffalo stood for some moments at his
end Of the cage, looking with little apparent
interest toward his foe. The tiger was sit
ting on his launches, seemingly unconscious
of the presence of his formidable adversary,
his attention being attracted by the crowd
outside. After waiting for some time, the
buffalo seemed to think he might as we'll
mike closer inspection. and slowly and de-
liberately walked to the other end. The
for he turned his head over his shoulder and
evident anxiety. His eye glared, but he did
not move 4 muscle.
The buffalo was almost near enough to
touch him with his muzzle. But at length,
and before the buffalo made any sign Of at
lacking him, he jumped up and galloped off
as fast as his legs could carry him round the
cage. The buffalo followed, and jammed him
against the wall with bis horns. The tiger,
the neck and another over the eye, just as
cat might do, and then fell, apparently, dead.
But his breathing betrayed him-he was
only shamming.
. No one seemed to understand this better
than the buffalo, who stood close by, and
kept his eye on him, but distlained to touch
him while he was down. For some time the
two animals maintained their respective po-
sitions, till at length the public began to be
impatient. They stirred up the tiger with a
pole, but that was of no use. Then they
tried crackers, and for some time they Sue
ceeded no better. 1t was not till bundle
was thrown close to the tigers nose that he
got thoroughly reused. But he had evidently
no intention of fighting. He again ran
round the cage, was again pursued by his
relentless enemy, and was severely gored,
and once more sank to the ground.
"This process was repeated several times,
always with the same reSult-the tiger
would not fight the buffalo, and the buffalo
could not kill the tiger. at length the men
on the roof lowered rope with a moose in
the end, in which they caught up the tiger
by one of his hind legs. and while he was
hanging the buffalo completely finished him.
But the Grand Duke was spared the pain of
witnessing the latter part Of the spectacle,
as he left when the tiger counterfeitcd death
for the second time. The natives were
right tiger fights unwillingly when he
cannot surprise his enemy. But the Rajah
had taken unusual pains to make the COM
bat as equal as possible, for the tiger was a
very savage one, while the buffalo, but two
days before, had been quietly drawing cart
along the road"