The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1875-07-16
instructions to keep a sharp outlook for

ton gradually died away nut none Oi
US closed our eyes till midnight was far
passed
There was no second alarm, however,
until abopt an hour bcfore daybreak,
when eur horses suddenly began to snort
and plunge in wild panic.
This awoke Us, and awoke also the two
sentinel Kirghis, who had slothfully
fallen asleep at their posts They fired
their guns, and at the same moment we
heard low growl.
One Of the two Cossacks declared that
he had seen the glare Of two fiery eye
balls.
Blazing cane fagots were thrown in
the direction Of the sound, and several
shots were fired.
The tiger-if IL was one-took himself
off; but there was no more sleep for US
that night.
We've campsd in nest Of tigers
Raed conjectured.
As soon As IL had grown fairly light,
we began to look around us and, while
coffee was being prepared, Racd and
myself-followed at short distance by
Wade and Wash-et of 10 reconnoitel
the scene of the preceding nights out
cry.
After going a considerable distance
farther than would have been supposed
from the sounds Of the struggle We
came TO an open plat, where, for several
acres in extent, the grass and rushes were
trodden down and the earth full of the
prints Of boars' hoofs.
While examining the traces Of the
fight, Wash, who was at some distance IL
the left, called us.
We went to him, aud he pointed Ia
the ground, covered with footprints and
gore, where the struggle had taken place.
The mark Of great foot armed with
claws told the story plain enough. A
boar had been killed and then carried
away.
We found a crimson trail along the
hateened PUSHES This entered a thicket
of high canes and jungle grass, matted
and tangled to an almost impenetrable
mass.
A hole like the mouth of cave led
into the thicket under the overhanging
reeds.
This entrance was about as large as a
hogshead sawed in halves in the middle
About it were buzzing large black flies,
such as are often seen at the lairs of wild
beasts.
Freshly gnawed bones lay around, and
there were marks of blood, where the
victor had set down the prey to rest
perhaps.
lnstinctively we drew back.
That's the brute's den !" whispered
Wade.
Sand | don't care to crawl into it,"
replied Raed.
Nodoubt the tiger was inside; possibly
a tigrcss and her whelps.
How to get at the brutes without theil
first getting at us was difficult matter
to arrange; and lest they should tax,
advantage of our rather unguarded ap
proach, we stole away on tiptoe, and
went back to camp.
The Cossacks proposed setting fire to
the jungle.
There was ali Int breeze from tn,
northeast, and, after making a hasty
breakfast, we mounted, and, taking q
wide circuit, rode around to the north
side of the jungle, which contained, al
we supposed, the tigers nest.
The high grass and canes were suggest
lively dry. We supposed, however, that
the fire would not spread against the
wind.
Rifles were looked to, and then taking
up a position some two hundred yard
from the jungle, we sent the Cossack'
forward to fire the grass.
If the tigers bounded out of their lail
we expected To be able to pick then
off at our ease with our breech-loading
rifles.
The Cossacks set fire to the grass and
rode back to US.
In a few seconds there was great
blaze and smoke, which soon spread on
all sides.
We exultantly watched ii as it envel
oped the jungle with mighty sheets Of
flame, and heard what we took to be the
roars of the frightened tigers, but imme'
diately had TO look TO our own safety
for the fire rushed back upon us, and
volumes OF sitting smoke flew over our
heads.
The flames caused current of wind
toward us; we had started a prodigiou,
confagration.
"Out of thisw cried Wash.
"Ride for itp shouted Racd.
And we did ride for it.
For couple Of versts we had 10 spul
our animals to keep ahead of the fire
and for eight or ten versts more a galloI
had to be kept up.
1t was serious race for Us, but at 4
distance, no doubt, the conAagration wa
a grand spectacle,
Above the roar of the fire We heard
at times the alarmed cries of wild ami
mal,, mingled with the hoarse bark o
the boars, and the screams of bird,
on to the southwark the fire ragged
during that whole day, and even aftel
night we could see bright glow along
the horizon.
A STORY is told of an accident on In,
New London railroad: An intoxicated
lrishman was sitting on the track when