Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-08-07
HOW WE SHOT THE TIGERS.


happened of late years amongst tiger
slayers have convinced people that the
sport is not only dangerous one, but
that the presence Of an experienced
hunter amongst the party is essential.
In the days | speak of no such thee cy
existed. We considered that we had
nothing more to do than to walk up
elephants were beneath us) and shoot
the beast chang in the head" and then
have him carried in triumph to our
tents. Our party consisting of myself
and two other voung subalterns( thought
so, and we started to do so.
Forty-five minutes by train, and a
stiff walk of two hours, brought us to
our tents.
The ground had not been hunted for
years, and was situated in the centre Of
the Bhore ghauts. The spot selected
for our first encampment was solitary
village shut in on every side by tower
ing mountains, clothed with impen atra-
BILE "cover." Our shikarees NATIVE
hunters) told us that these mountains
were full of tigers, bisons, bears, pan
theirs, and every conceivable kind of
game. As we sat listening around the
camp fire that night, there was not one
amongst us who did not feel certain in
his own heart that the morrow would
see him fairly on the road to fame. In
this state of excitement, if we slept at
all, it was certainly due to the effects of
the brand y punch, in which we duly
drank success to our first trip.
Behold US, then, the following morn
ipr, fI1lly ~ on, Ou,,, oc4;,,o
ton, for the hunt. As far as / remem-
Der at this distance of time, we had six
rifles and one gun between us, borrowed
from every quarter, aud each of DIFF
ferent bore. One of mine was a single
barrelled Jacob" the lock of which
possessed the unhappy knack of work
ing when not required.
We had been told that pebbles were
very useful in the mouth to allay thirst;
SO determined to be practical, we put
three each In our pockets, and dis
pensed with two out of three chaguls
water bags and thus we started
Overladen with useless ammunition,
pulled up with kind af uQ8Uicbs fes ling,
and wearing illfitting and inferior boots,
queer party we must have looked.
A tigress had killed pig overnight,
and we felt that such an outrage must
be quickly revenged. Up hill and down
dale, sliding, slipping, jumping, run
ming, we went for about two hours, dur
ing which time we had elected our
pebbles, and the water bag was empty.
However, we eventually reached our
station-a bare little hill with a slope,
at the bottom a small ravine about
SIX or seven feet wide and as many
deep, and beyond that the hillside
along which the tigress was to be
driven. We seated ourselves in row
on the barest spot we could find, lest
anything should divert our aim, and
solemnlY agreed that nothing should in
duce us to fire until the animal had
jumped in the ravine. The drive COM
menced, and we had not long to wait
Trotting calmly along the hillside
straight toward Us came the tgress.
On the other side Of the ravine, and
about 80 yards from it. was one soil
tary bush; all the rest Of the hill
was short grass. At about 200 yards
the tigress of course viewed Us, and
stopped for a minute to look about
The excitement was intense. We had
never contemplated what we were to
do In such an emergency, and we con-
sequently all acted independently, and
poured in volley. The tigress now
rushed into the bush, and we, without
knowing why, opened running fire
upon it. This could not last long, and
some stray shot having reused the ami
NAL, she left her cover and charged
or Iclot fn,, Il, Ill I Al
scene that followed. We, perfectly con-
WINGED that now was the time, seized
our guns, and ran helter,skelter to meet
the tigress, and fired at her promiscu-
ously. Our shikarees and gun-bearers
yelled to us from behind to stop, the
tigress roared in front, and the men
who had driven her out scuttled in
every direction. In this manner we
arrived on our side of the ravine, and
the tigress on hers, when luckily two
straw Shots disabled her, and sent her
headlong and helpless into it. We now
discovered that our only loaded piece
was the old Jacob" and after three
unsuccessful efforts the handle conde-
scended to come down, and make our
first tiger an accomplished fact
Early next morning we received news
that two tigers were sitting under some
trees well up in the gorge in the ghauts;
and we positively made arrangements
what we should do with them when
they should be brought in that evening.
The road was difficult and steep, and
finding there was no available place at
the south end of the ravine, we went
round and seated ourselves on the top
of a bank commanding the path by
which the tigers were said to be in the
habit of coming and going.
The heaters mad direction to drive
the game toward us. After a false
alarm or two, we saw the tall reeds of
the cover violently agitated, and IN
moment out sprang our two friends
When within twenty or thirty yards
they perceived us, and Immediately
sprang into cover toward us. Now
although they were SO near us-ior we
could see their approach by the oc-
casional shiver of the grass reeds-yet
so stealthy were their movements, and
so close did they squat, that we could
not catch sight of them. We threw
stones down into the cover and fired
random shots, but for some time with
out success.
At length, with a kind of deep growl,
one tiger jumped into water-course
Immediately underneath US, disappear
ing as quickly. | saluted HIM with a
ball through the loins as he sprang
past my post, which he acknowledged
with an angry roar. Both my COM
panions also fired, and the one who
had a clear range greeted his arrival
L nf L: =