Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-07-10
A Nest of Tigers.

n NeSU vi lIStIS.
In the wear 1868 l was travelling in
the province of Bengal on business con-
nected with large cotton manufactur-
ing house in Manchester. | was sent
~ Judge of cotton, to buy up the best
that could be found, i'm order to supply
the demand arising from the failure of
the American market.
Brown. Jones & Co., footed all my
bills, and | must say that | enjoyed my
trip.
should have enjoyed it much more
but for the intense heat of the weather.
This caused me much distress in the
middle of the day, and at such times l
nave been compelled TO halt and repose
under the shade of the stately bdRyGn,
by the borders of some roadside tank.
Nv bearers made no objections to
these halts. but, on the contrary, en-
loved them. | was travelling by dark,
~ it is termed in India, having relays
Of bearers TO carry my palanquin from
village to village.
This method of journeying is one of
the most luxurious in the world, as the
motion Is 80 easy and gentle Is to dis
pose one to sleep. All the comforts you
can need are carried in the palanquin.
The only improvement on it that |
know of i tue Nile-boaf, with its luNu-
rious cabin: or rich mans yacht.
Both these are very expensive luXuries;
whereas datrk travelling is as cheap as
railway.
After going about for some time on
the great cotton estates, and buying
many valuable crors for my employers
At favorable cre1its, began TO think OF
returning homeward. l was stopping
AT the time on the estate of Mr.. -,
one of our best customers, rich
Scotchman, who had immigrated to
India to start cotton farming, and sue
ceeded well, like his countrymen all
the world over.
Mr.. insisted that | should stay
a week. now that our business was
done, and he would show me some
sport. knowing that a week more or
less in my departure would make but
little difference, since my cotton was on
it, road to Calcutta, | accepted his IN
vitation, and passed a very pleasant
week. shooting the multifarious kinds
Of game that thronged the neighboring
jungles.
Outside the cotton fields lay narrow
belt of wood towards the south, separat-
inc Mr.. IS estate from the patches
of rice, and the paddy fields OF the
neighboring ryots. These fields stretched
for the next two hundred yards, and
were then lost in the thick jungle, the
home of wild hogs, pea-fowls, anu
various other winged and four-footed
game. Hares and foxes were plenty,
and NV host had two or three braces
OF magnificent English grayhounds,
with which we enjoyed splendid sport.
| was also shown the native Indian
sport of hawking. practiced with the
Indian peregrine falcon known as the
Jabree; where the great lead-coioreo
stork, the Gurus, with his crimson head
and neck. was chased down and killed
by a hawk half his size.
| shot numerous peacocks and black
breasted fiorikens, and went out hunt
inc the wild boars, or ''pigsticking," as
ii is now termed in India.
had many risky adventures, out oi
which | luckily came scot free, both
with hogs and snakes; but the climax
Of all was one that | should stumble on
bv accident one morning, and which
came near costing me my life.
had started from the house about an
hour before daybreak to reach certain
tank about five miles off, where l was
Informed that game was very plentiful,
a. the tank was regular watering
place.
Mr.. -'s chief chikkdree, or hunts
man. went with me as guide, and L
was warned 10 keep in the open ground,
and avoid the jungle, as the place was
very "'tigerish."
Young and ardent as | was, it was
the chosen wish of my heart TO see
riger-a thing | had not yet succeeded
in doing in the daytime. Thinking
that | should probably meet one COM
inc home from his nocturnal stroll if
arrived early enough, took my Henry
rifle along with me, resolved TO bag
one if possible.
| had knocked over too many grizzlies
on the prairies to, be afraid of sneak
ing tiger
| was destined, as the sequel will
show. to have a surfeit of tigers; and If
it had not been for the aid of my trusty
repeater" / should now be telling no
story.
Mohammed, the shikkaree, stole softly
along by my side in the gray dusk of
the morning, bearing his long match
lock on his shoulder, and as noiseless as
ghost, with his bare feet. A tul1cdr,
or curved sword, as keen as razor,