The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-07-10

Y
and saunter about as on ordinary
occasions; otherwise the tiger will
suspect something. Allah knows he
may be watching us now! But even
if he is not here, the loving of the
COWS and the sound of their wooden
clappers will attract him. When
the herd move higher up we will
follow"
While waiting under the tree, the
old man told several anecdotes of
hunting tigers, but his eye wandered
around. and his ear caught every
rustic in the bushes.
"Sahib " he suddenly said stop
ping in the midst of a story, be
ready !-hush!"
His ear had caught the angry
chirrup of a small bird. The cattle
were quietly grazing, and the young
Englishman wondered what could
have attracted the old mans notice.
Yes" said Sheykha listening and
nodding his head, "it is, think.
Allah knows it may be a snake, or a
mungoose, but something is disturb
ing that bird. 1t is the tiger, think. "
The Englishman rose to his feet.
lie looked up and down, but moth
ing disturbed the stiffness save the
clapper-clapper of the wooden clap
pers hanging from the cattles necks.
lie was disappointed, and doubted if
old Sheykha was right, when sudden
ly little distance up the glen, vel
low mass dashed out of the thicket
on the back of white heifer, and
bore it to the ground.
"Bagh bagh!" (tiger) shouted
the herdsmen, as the cattle dashed
wildly down the glen.
CHOW, sahib, keep yon big bush
between you and the tiger, and run
up" whispered Sheykha.
Running in a crouching position,
they got behind the bush. Separat-
ing the branches, the Englishman
looked through. The poor heifer
was kicking vigorously as it lay on
its side, pressed down by the weight
of the tiger, whose fangs were bur-
ried in its throat. Reckoning to his
companion, the old hunter ran crouch
ing, to another big bush much nearer
to the struggling animals. The
Englishman looked through, and
started at the sight, so near did the
-tlgeg appear, laSrGised bis,ssife, bl.f
the cautious old hunter qtifetly lard a
hand upon the Englishman's arm, and
shaking his head, drummed with his
fingers upon his heart. Touching
the muzzle of the rifle, he tremu-
lousl y shook them in the air, thus sig
nifying in pantomime-they were too
near to speak-that the young mans
nerves were not steady enough for a
shot. The Englishman, obeying the
more experienced hunter, lowered
his rifle and waited. At last the
tiger, shifting his position, stretched
himself on top, and exposed the most
vital part of his body. Sheykha,
turning to the young man, patted his
heart, thus inquiring if he was steady
in nerve. The Englishman nodded.
Pointing to the tiger, the old hunter
placed his hand on his side, just TN
der the arm, as a hint where to aim.
The young hunter leveled his rifle
with steadiness and fired. With an
angry roar the tiger sprang from his
victim, turning round and round,
swapping at his side i'll a rage. The
Englishman glowed with excitement
and would have fired again, but
Sheykha, pressing firm hand on
his arm, restrained him. The tiger
was badly hit, for the blood flowed
from his mouth. lie stopped turn
ing round, and seemed undecided
where to spring. The Sheykha re-
moved his hand from the young
mans arm, who, taking steady aim,
fired again. AS the rifle flashed, the
tiger sprang towards the bush, and
fell flat on the ground, with all four
paws spread out. He was shot
through the spine. There he lay,
unable to rise, his hind legs being
paralyzed. He roared horribly, bit
through and through one of his paws
and tore up the turf with his claws.
The Englishman again fired; the
ball entered just behind the ear, and
with a groan the tiger breathed his
last. The elephant was called up,
and the dead tiger laid across the
pad on his back, to be carried to
the camD.