The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1875-11-25
Hunting n Tiger.

AHuut eleven O'clork we again faced the
~corching hot wind and made silently for
tie cover whore lay the man-eater |
surrounded it with scouts on trees and
posted a pad elephant at the only point
where he could easily gctup the high bank
;ud make eff, and then pushed old Sarju
slowly and carefully through the cover.
PeatoWl rose in numbers from every bush
~ we advanced; and few harcs and
Other small animals bolted out at the
rdge~-sUch thick, green covers being the
midday resort OF all the life of the neigh
borhoOd in the hot weather. About the
centre the Jungle was extremely thick,
and the bottom was cut up in Il number of
parallel water-chamnels among the strong
roots and oVcrhanging branches OF the
tamarlrh. Here the elephant paused and
began to kick up the earth, and utter the
low, tremulous sound by which some ele-
phantS denote the close presence of atger.
We pecrcd all about with nervous beat
mos Of the heart, and at last the mahout,
WHO was lower down on the elephants
neck, said he saw him lying beneath a
thick iaman bush. We had some stones
in the hoWda!l. and | made the lalla, who
was behind me in the back seat, pitch one
into the bush. Instantly the tiger started
up with Il short roar, and @alloped Oft
through the bushes. | gave him right
and LETT at once, which told loudly: but
he Went till lie saw the pad-clephant
blocking the road he meant to escape bv,
and then he turned and charged back at
}uc with horrible roars. 1t was very diff
cult to see him among the crashing bushes,
and he was within twenty yards when |
fired again. This dropped him into one
OF the channels. but he picked himself up
Ind came ON again as savagely, though
more slowly. than before. | was IN the
act OF covering him with a large shell
rifle. when suddenly the elephant spun
round, and | found myself looking the
opposite way, while Il worrying sound be-
hind me, and the frantic movement, told
nae had iellow-pasoenger on board |
might well have dispensed with Ali
could do in the way Of holding on barely
satliced to prevent myself and guns from
being pitched OUT and it was some time
before SalIu, finding he could not kick
him Of, paused to think what he should
40 next seized that placid interval to
lean over behind and put the muzzle of
tho rifle TO the head Of the tiger-bowing
il into fifty pieces with the large shell.
then | saw the dastardly mahout urging
the elephant to run out of the cover. An
application of my gunstock to his head,
however, reversed the engine; and Saru.
coming round with the utmost willingness.
tlumpeted a shrill note of defiance, and.
rushing upon his PROSTATE foe, commenced
a war dance on his body that made it lit
Tie less difficult to stick to him than when
a. =. ], Il
ed believe, OF kicking up the carcass
with hind leg, catching it in the hollow
OF the fore, and SO tossing it backwards
and forwards between his feet-winding
up 10y placing his huge tore-foot on the
body and crossing the other over it, so as
TO press it into the sand with his whole
weight. ! found afterwards that the ele-
phant boy, whose business it is to stand
behind the howdah, and, if necessary,
keep the elephant straight in a chargc BY
applying thick stick over his rump, had
had a narrow escape in this adventure,
having dropped off in his fright almost
into the Jaws of the tiger. The tiger
made straight for the elephant, however,
as is almost invariably the case, and the
boy picked himself up and fled to the pro-
lection Of the other elephant
Sariu was not perfect shikari elephant,
but his fault was rather too much courage
than the reverse, and it was only his mis-
cradle, opium eating villain of IA mahout
that made him turn at the critical moment.
Tie was much cut about the quarters; but
/ took him out close to the tents two DAYS
after, and killed two more tigers without
his ilinching in the least. The tiger we
had thus killed was undoubtedly the man.
eater He was exactly ten feet long. in
the prime OF life, with the dun yellow
coat Of the adult male-not in the least
NANCY or toothless like the man-eater of
story. He had no moon on his head. nor
did bis belly nearly touch the ground. |
afterwards found that these Characters
ties are attributed to all man-eaters by the
credulous people [Appleton's Journal.