Smyrna times., 1880-08-18
Fighting a Tiger.
BY E. w. T.

The danger of travelling in India thirty
years ago was great-so great, indeed, as to
render it extremely difficult to procure a
guide and sufficient number Of bearers for
the howdah, or wooden cage, in which the
most of our travelling was then done. AS
pressing business required the presence of
one OF our house at a remote town in the
interior, | volunteered to undertake the
journey, and, after two days enlisting eight
stalwart fellows in my service. and the
howdah having been overhauled, started.
The howdah was one built under my
especial supervision a few months before,
and | had strength and security in my eye
rather than elegance and lightness, so the
intervals of exchange by the bearers were
not far apart.
1t is almost too commonly known to re-
peat, that four bearers carried tile cage Mt
a time, the unemployed gang running or
trotting along at its side, ready to relieve
the "watch on deck" when they should
grow weary.
We had passed over half the distance
before had become weary Of the mode of
travelling, or my bearers had perceptibly
slackened their speed. had opened the
slidingdoors of the concern to allow the
cool breeze to have full play, and was
buried deeply i'll thought, when, with a
loud cry, my attendants dropped me, and
scampered off much the same as a covey of
quail on the first appearance of a pointers
nose.
had presence Of mind enough to close
and fasten the small doors, for | knew
there was danger. What it was, or in
what shape it came, | could not even guess /;
but l was not suffered long to remain in
doubt, for with a terrific noise, half howl
and half roar, heavy body struck the
howdah with tremendous impetus, COM
pletely capsizing it. Before l could collect
my thoughts, the tremendous charge from
without was renewed, knocking the cage
about for short time and at last rightinC
it. Then | cautiously peered from one of
the loopholes inside, which had been bored
for an occasion like the present. My won
der at the tremendous shock ceased
l had seen tigers before, in fact had
hunted them, and had proven myself no
mean adversary to the royal brute; but in
the whole course Of my existence | had
never seen or heard of such a rouser as
! this.
lie had drawn off about twenty feet
after his last dash, and was crouching upon
the ground with an expression of mingled
! ferocity and surprise.
1t was a beautiful mark, as his forehead
was in just the position would have placed
it myself, and could have used the rifle
had with me, have no doubt that l could
have succeeded in dispatching him with one
shot. However, using my rife was out o.
the question without opening the door, al
least partly, and that was not to be thought
of, even for an instant
l had my pistols-large, trusty navy re
volvers-but | was not so sure of then
against such a formidable antagonist.
saw by the increased restlessness of tn,
brute that whatever did must be don,
quickly, as in a very short time l nigh
expect to repeat my gymnastic exercises
so taking deliberate aim at the center o
his forehead fired.
Scarcely had the report died away, wheI
| head the bowling roar and felt instinc
lively that the tiger was coming, SO, drop
ping my pistol, clutched at the sides o
the howdah. To my surprise felt moth
ing this time further than slight shaking
and then heard the rustling of bod,
upon the roof of the cage-a rustling sucl
as dog makes when he throws himsel
upon the floor.
"Ah, ha!'' l said--to myself, of course
as did not wish to hold any conversation
with the "Royal Bengal"-"ah, ha s.
you're on the roof, are you? Well, as
can't see you very well up there, will
order you down." and | fred straigh
through the center of the howdah.
lie ''came down" upon the opposite sid
to that from which he had assembled, an
retired, as before, to the distance of fiftee
, or twenty feet.
His face was again toward the howdat
and noticed ridge reaching nearly hal
the length of the forehead, where my fir:
bullet had plowed its way in the bone fc
the whole distance.
l saw my error. In the rather tremI
/ lous state Of my nerves, l had fred littl
high, and the ball had glanced after striI
. ing in an obtuse angle. However, shoul
' not throw away another shot in the sam
manner, since knew how it was DONE
His head was slightly to one side, an
, the eye presented very acceptable mark
resting the barrel of my weapon upon th
sill or edge of the loop.hole, l took car
full sight at the optic, and blazed away wit
f two chambers in rapid succession.
Y This time it was q howl-clear, Ion
drawn, and sonorous-which answered n
y shot, and it was succeeded by perfs
torrent of snarls and meanings.
e Looking out, | saw my late enemy rol
y ing, struggling, and lashing the earth
s his death agonies, about halfway betwee
his former position and the howdah.
r watched him until, with a cry almo
Q human in its intensity, he rolled over G
his side and died. Then | opened ii
IS door and went to the spot to examine hin
IS l found him little over seven feet fro
the tip of his nose to the root of his tai
n which, perhaps, was two feet additional.
II While was measuring the brute, n
attendants came running up, with mar
n expressions of joy at my victory, but I
|. one spoke of their desertion. 1t seen
e they had not gone far, as they saw Il
tiger had directed his attack upon IL
howdah, and thep knew he would not lea,
"a it to pursue them, so they had watchC
rs until the finale.
+ Under my direction the brute was robbie
q. of his gaudy skin, and we again took l
II our line of march.
Some men are born to bad luck. A Ne
ie Hampshire man went through three yea
~ of the war and wasn't even scratched