The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1878-06-05
Hunting n Tiger with Cows.

acquainted W1Jn the naDlUS OF the AMI
NAL, each tiger has special character
The villagers in India, whose herds and
lives are constantly in danger from the
savage beast, know that each one has
some peculiarities of temperament. Such
a one, they will say, is daring and rash;
another is SO cunning that no artiice
can deceive him. One is savage and
morose, but another is comparatively
mild and harmless. Some tigers destroy
much cattle, but never touch man. In
fact, but small percentage of tigers are
man -eaters,. otherwise many villages
would be depopulated. But when q
tiger has once tasted human flesh, he
seems to acquire such an appetite for it
as to prefer it to all other food.
An Englishman, from whose "Tale of
Indian Adventure we have learned
these facts, tells an incident which
exhibits the sagacity of a native hunter
in outwitting a cunning tiger who had
long been the terror of several villages.
An English officer, encamped with his
troop in the.district, was anxious to rid
the neighborhood of their terrible foe;
but the tiger was 80 cunning that all
lures had failed to entrap him. He would
come up and walk around the bait, and
then walk off.
"Well, Sheykha, what do you pro-
pose7" asked the officer of the best
hunter in the district, whose aid he had
sought.
eff the sahib will listen to his slaves
advice" replied the old hunter, "he
will try shikaree's way of killing tigers.
For few rupees the herdsmen will take
their cattle into the tigers haunts, and
then if he is hungry and takes one, the
sahib may get shot,"
The officer had as his guest young
English sportsman, whom he wished to
put in the way of killing a tiger. So,
turning to his friend, he said:
I cannot go with you, but you go
with Sheykha, and let him carry out his
proposal. A herd of cows-not buffaloes
they spoil sport, for they fight the
tiger and often drive him of-will be
driven through the jungle until the tiger
seizes one. The rest will bolt, and while
he is struggling with his victim, you
may creep up within easy shooting dis
tance and kill him"
Late in the afternoon the tyro in tiger
hunting set off, piloted by old Sheykha,
to small village. The head men were
assembled for palaver, and it was pro-
posed to them to drive herd of cattle
up the glen of the jungle in which the
tiger lived. When it was made clear that
the full value of the COW killed would be
paid, and o present given to the herds
man besides, half the village rushed to
collect the herd and drive it up the glen.
After they had entered the glen, the
cattle were allowed to spread and Craze
about. The young Englishman and
Sheykha rested under the shade of q
tree.
"We must not hurry" said the cum
ming old hunter, "but take time and
saunter about as on ordinary occasions
otherwise the tiger will suspect some
thing. Allah knows he may be watching
us nowl But even if he is not here, the
lowing 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 I" he suddenly said, stopping
in the midst of story, "be ready !
/ hush %
} His ear had caught the angry chirruI
, of small bird. The cattle were quietly
3 grazing, and the young Englishman won
? dered what could have attracted the oil
: mans notice.
( eyes, said Sheykha, listening and
: nodding his head, sit is, think. AllaI
: knows it may be snake, or mungoose
r but something is disturbing that bird
1t is the tiger, 1 think.
The Englishman rose to his feet. HI
looked up and down, but nothing dis
turbed the stiffness save the clapper
0 clapper of the wooden clappers hanging
{ from the cattle's necks. He was disap
t pointed, and doubted if old Sheykha wa
: right, when, suddenly, a little distanc
J, up the glen, yellow mass dashed on
}. of the thieket on the back of a whit
y heifer, and bore it to the ground.
J, "Bagh bagh !" (tiger) shouted tn
o herdsmen, as the cattle dashed wildl,
4 down the glen.
a "New, sahib, keep yon big bush be
+ tween you and the tiger, and run up,
d whispered Sheykha.
n Running in a crouching position, they
8 got behind the bush. Separating thu
!, branches, the Englishman looke
j, through. The poor heifer was kickin
d vigorously as it lay on its side, presse
% down under the weight of the tiger
whose fangs were buried in its throat
a Beckoning to his companion, the oil
is hunter ran, crOuching, TO another bi
10 bush much nearer to the struggling an
* mails. The Englishman looked through
le and started at the sight, so near did th
le tiger appear. He raised his rife, but th
a cautious old hunter quietly laid a han
upon the Enghshmans arm, and shall