The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1873-12-23
Blood Tor BlOOd-.Tiger for Man.
Wild Men and Wild Beasts

w 1lu Alen ana w llQ Beasts.
Late one afternoon a shikaree whom
we had stationed at this spot came in
and reported that a villager had just
been killed by tiger. The man with
two companions nal ben gathering
gum from the trees, when the tiger rush
ed ont on them from patch of grass,
seizing him in his teeth, and killing him
on the spot. His comrades we're un-
armed, and fled to the village.
1t was too late to do anything that
afternoon, bat all was prepared for all
early start, and by sunrise next morn
ing we had ridden out to the jungle,
where We met our gun bearers with
three good elephants. l was accompa-
MED by the civil surgeon and the ad-
jltant of the local corps. AS the coun
try was very open, and the sun was still
low in the heavens, l urged them not
to fire long shots shoall the tiger rise
on the approach Of the elephants l
calculated that we should have no diff
Guilty in again marking him down. All
preliminaries being arranged, we went
off to the spot where the tiger had been
seen, and there, face downward, lay the
body of the unfortunate man. His
clothes were torn. and q quantity Of
blood was on the ground; but the tiger
had apparently not been hungry, for no
portion of the body was eaten, and as
it had lain in the jungle all night, we
were not sanguine.
Leaving a few villagers to carry home
the dead man, we moved into some
grass jungle, having previously posted
men in different directions on high trees,
with orders to keep good look out =
The a'ljutant was on the left, the doc
tor in the center, and was On the right
of the line. We had not gone far be-
fore the tiger, very large male, rose
from small water course about sixty
yards on my right front. and bounded
up the opposite bank. He was too far
off to allow of my shooting with GER
tainty, therefore trusting that he would
lie up in the next thicket, l reserved my
fire. The doctor, however, had caught
sight of him, and, greatly excited, at
once luosed his piece. l saw the shots
strike the ground wide of the tiger, who
increased his pace, and went off giving
a few angry growls. We followed him
up at once, and again I implored my
companions not to fire unless they were
certain that they could do so with good
effect.
Half mile further on we again STAR
ted the tiger-this time he was within a
fair range of the doctor, who, however,
missed him, and we feared that even
my wonted good luck would not give
us ahother chance. But the sun was
now high and powerful, and as We knew
that there was no strong covert within
several miles, we followed on in the di-
rection which the tigar had TAKEN
About mile ahead we came up to one
of our scouts on tree, who reported
that the tiger had entered the bushes
which fringed the edge of a small dry
nuliah running out into the plain -
Quietly forming up the three elephants
in line, we moved slowly on, and soon
after saw the tiger going off about
eighty yards before US AS he seemed
thoroughly scared, deemed it prudent
this time to fire, on the chance of woun-
ding him. The doctor also fired at the
same moment, and the tiger lurched
heavily to one side and disappeared
among the bushes / had just taken up
another rifle, and we were cautiously
advancing, wien the enraged brute rush
ed to meet US. He was within twenty
PAGES before we saw him, and vas evil
IDENTIFY inclined to do mischief.but again
we opened fire and dropped him. He
rose, however, in an instant, and again
came on, roaring wickedly; but, appar-
emily not caring to close with the ele-
plants, he dashed through our line and
went back up the nullah.
We quickly reloaded, and followed
him up, carefully examining every bush
and tuft Of grass. In this manner we
had advanced to the very head of the
nuIlah, which terminated in a large green
corinda bush. The tiger made no sign.
and we began to fear that he might have
skunk away to the right or left, but, de
termihed 10 make sure, l directed my
mahout to take me up to the corinds
bush. The head Of the elephant had
almost touched the foliage when the ii
ger, now mad with rage, sprang at him
seizing him by the root of the tluak ir
his teeth. while he buried his claws ir
the sides of his face. With frantic
shrek the elephant dropped his head
and endeavored to pin the tiger to tht
ground with his tusks 1t was mo-
ment of intense excitement, and 1 wei
seriously alarmed for the mahout, who
seated on the neck of the elephant, wa:
in great danger of being thrown dowr
between the struggling brutes. My
own situation too was by no mean:
pleasant, for l was thrown forward il
the howdah, and l dreaded lest th'
girths should give way. However, th'
"graith" was good, and kept my po
sition, and as the elephant with des
perate effort shook off the tiger,I fount
had retained my three guns unirjured
The tiger made off down the nullal
before | could again fire, and it wa
some time before the elephant, who con
tinued to dance and shrek with rage
: could he sufficiently quieted to enabl
US to follow after him Throughout tn
struggle, my companions, though onl
few PAGES off, were unable to rende
any assistance, fearing to fire lest the,
might hit the elephant. About on
hundred yards down the nullah we cam
!, on the tiger, crouching under bank
He at once charged, and this time LEI
the marks of his teeth and claws in th
, head of the adjutants elephant; but h
was now less lively, and one or tw
shots put in with effect rolled him ovel
He was fine beast, male of the lal
gest size, with a rich dark skin. H
was, moreover, very shaggy about th
sides Of the head, and was altogether
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