Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1873-06-27
Chinese Superstition.

SOME time ago, when writing to you,
gave you brief account of the depreda-
tions of the tigers to the west of Annoy.
Since then news has arrived of their hav-
ing appeared in the mountains that lie
about fifty miles north of this. From all
accounts they appear to be committing
great havoc, and to have become the ter
ror of the region they inhabit In the
course of three or four months they have
killed twenty persons, and, of course, an
indefinite number of pigs etc. a certain
temple, which is situated away in lonely
spot among these hills, has been rendered
tenantless and uninhabitable by them. a
short time since it was occupied by three
persons-a priest, a labOring man whom
ne had engaged to assist him in tilling a
few fields belonging to the temple, and the
mother of the latter One evening, in re-
turning from the fields, they were set
upon by the tigers, and the whole of them
killed. Such terror has taken possession
OF the country people that they dare not
go out early in the morning, or after a
certain hour in the afternoon. The farm
ers, each morning, are accustomed to as
semble together, and, after beating OF
gongs and firing of guns, they feel that
they may 90 in safety to their fields. Va
rious consultations have been held among
the wise heads, both rs to the cause of the
| irruption of these unwelcome visitors and
the means by which they might be re-
pressed. The result, as is often the case
in such deliberations, has not been very
satifactory. 1t was at first believed that
these animals would, of course, be under
the control of the god Of the earth and
the spirits of the mountains The elders OF
the people accordingly selected a spot in
| nj IA ll1
and there offered sacrifice to these invisi
BILE nOthings, at the same time imploring
them to lay stringent injunctions on the
tigers that they should behave themselves
in more becoming manner for the future
The tigers replied TO this challenge by The
very next day devouring another man, anC
by repeating the same process wheneve
chance gave them an opportunity. Ate
another consultation among those whC
were supposed to know all about sucl
matters, it was decided that these animal
were not, in reality, tigers amer all, bu
certain powerful demons that, for the tim
being, had assumed the form of tigers, il
order the more etlectually to carry on
their feelings of hatred to man. 1t was
therefore, decided to apply to the Imperia
Tauist priest, who is regarded as the YER
high priest and Pope of the Tauist persua
sion, and who is believed to be able I
control the spirits, and to have infallibl
specifics for bringing them to submission
The wise heads advised that messenge
should be sent to him for yellow pape
charms, to be posted in convenient place
on the hills, which should have the effeC
of driving the tigers altogether out of tina
neighborhood. The less knowing, AM
such as were not initiated into the my
teries of spirit life, took more practices
view Of the matter, and suggested that thi
plan would not only be expensive, but ais
risky; as there was no certainty that th
f charms of the imperial wizard would h
J successful. 1t was proposed, instead, th'
foreigner from Annoy should be invite
30 come up and kill the tigers. This pr
! pOsal was evidently a popular onei for