Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-05-29

other was made just sufficiently large
to be passed into the larger one,
for the purpose of giving additional
strength. One end of each basket
was open, while the other was closed
with the exception of a hole about
three inches in diameter, the use of
which will be afterward explained.
Having jammed the smaller basket
into the larger one, the walls of both
were firmly laced together through
out the withes, to avoid any chance
of slipping Finally two new hemp
ropes, two and one-half inches in
circumference, were prepared with
running nooses. Small pieces of
stick were passed through the rope as
shoppers, to prevent the loop from
running before required to do so. As
soon as a few long poles were cut and
prepared with fork on some and
pieces of wood lashed on the others
to form hooks, all was ready for the
operation.
The planks covering the mouth of
the pit were then slightly separated to
admit of the ropes and poles being
passed down. The moose of one of
the ropes was lowered onto the tigers
head, which intrusion he resisted
violently; but by skill and patience
the Malays managed to get the moose
over the tigers head and around his
neck. This was effected by maneu-
vering his paws and mouth with the
poles. AS soon as The moose was in
position, it was drawn tight enough to
prevent it's being removed by the pris-
oner The other rope was then pass
ed down and secured In a similar man
ner. The operation of placing the
two Aooses around the neck occupied
twenty-three minutes. The ends of
the ropes were then passed through
the open end, and passing out at the
small hole at the other end. They
were afterward passed over the over
head beam and were held by party
of twelve coolies. ready to haul when
directed to do so. The basket was
then placed mouth downward over
the pit, and the planks moved Sutff-
GENTLY to admit of the basket beng
lowered into the mouth of the pit.
| The exact elevation of the basket was
regulated by third rope, which was
lashed to it and passed over the over
head beam and held by one man.
When all was secure and ready, the
word to haul was given, and the tiger
was drawn up head foremost into the
basket. which was only large enough
to receive him, and thus he was unable
to struggle with effect. AS soon as
he was well into the basket the whole
was drawn up and then laid on it's
side, when the mouth of the basket
was at once laced up, leaving nothing
but the tigers tail prOtruding. When
all was fast the nOOseS around his
throat we're slackenel, so as to admit
of his breathing freely. The nOOses
were, however, still left round his
neck for after operations. The basket
was now slung on a pole, and, with
it's contents, bore down the hill to the
road, where cage was IN readiness
to receive him. The cage was 8 feet
long by % feet broad, and was made
of stout beams and pIanks, except at
the ends, which were inclOsed with
Iron bars of an inch in diameter.
-Four of the bars at one end could be
drawn up, and served as door. The
mouth of the basket was now lashed
to the end of the cage, where were
the movable bars, and the ends of the
ropes which were round the tigers
neck were, by means of hooked sticks,
passed backward over the tiger and
through the cage, where they were
held by men ready to haul. The
movable bars of the cage were now
drawn up, and the lacing at the mouth
of the basket was cut by means of a
long knife, but, as the tiger seemed
indisp Osed to move out of the basket,
his hind legs were levered backward
with sticks. while the men in rear
hauled on the ropes.
At first the backward movement
was slow, but when the tiger discov-
cred that all was apparently clear be-
hind, he struggled out of the basket
aud flew to the back of the cage; here
be was checked by the bars, and re-
tanned by the ropes around his neck,
which were drawn IN with lightning
speed by the Malays, who were evi-
IDENTIFY prepared fo- this movement of
the tiger. The movable bars were
then replaced, and the basket was cut
away from the cage. All thatremain-
ed was to remove the ropes from his
neck, which was done by means of
hooked sticks; and then the poor
beast, finding himself free to move,
rushed frantically about the cage, al
though his movements were much Ere-
scrlbed. Covers were then put over
the bars, and this soothed him. The
cage, having been hoisted on bullock
cart, was removed to Singapore, where
he now is on view, previous to be-
ing shipped to some dealer la England
or America. He is magnificent
animal, beautifully marked, and ia
fine condition According to such
measurements as could be made as he
lay in the basket, he is nine feet long
from his nose to the tip of his tail.
While waiting to see him taken out
of the pit, we noticed The tracks of
other tigers Some of these were
large, and probably those of the
tigress, prowling about near her mate,
while the others We're tracks of cubs