St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-11-06
A RESIARKABL PHOTOGRAPH.
That Of Tiger -, he Very Act Of killing
BUddl
London Telegraph.


a tiger photographed in the very acs Of
killing buffalo is probably an oecurance
unparalleled in the annals of the camera. Yet
that photograph has actually been taken is
vouched for in the Indian press, while the
explanation of the event, though II does not
in the least detract from its sensational
character, makes it easily credible. The
artist, IL appears, had focused on the buffalo
which was tied for the occasion 10 a tree
stump in ths middle of a field-and had just
put dry plate into the camera, when a tiger,
brought up 10 the spot for the purpose, went
at it, and struck down the great horned beast
with single blow Of its right paw ''NIy
instrument" says the photographer, twas
about seven yards from the buffalo, and the
tiger might just as well have come at me if
he had chosen 10 do so, but he preferred the
beef, and, taking advantage of the moment
he had sprung upon his victim, released
the spring shutter just as he had given the
buffalo his knock-down blown" The mega
tive unfortunately proved 10 be somewhat
defective, but it is said TO be at any rate good
enough TO give an authentic picture from the
life OF the most terrible of caruivoIous beasts
at the precise moment when it had stunned
struck, had not even had time to fall before
the ''sun picture" of its dying moments was
fixed upon the faithful plate, and so there
it stands with its knees Just giving
way under ii, and its great head droop-
lug in death. \ quarter Of a second
later and it was lying on the ground lifeless;
but on the photographers glass it remains
forever in the actual attitude of diving, and
at the instant when drawing its last breath.
Neither alive nor dead, the huge victim is
seen at the exact moment of time when it is
sinking under the weight of its dreadful muir
dereT. Swifter even than death itself, the
sensitive plate seized the reflection of the
| collapsing buffalo before il had time To die /;
AID though decease was, humanity speaking,
| instantaneous, the one beat of the heart that
intervened between the awful blow of the ii
gers paw and its victims positive surrender
of existence suffieed for the photographer to
catch aud fix with unerring fidelity the attri-
butes of the slayer and the slain When
half way to the ground the lens arrests the
tumbling buffalo as the tigers paw still rests
on the very spot where the lightning of its
blow descended.
After Staying the buffalo, the tiger, we
read, stretched its head round over the
neck, and, slipping its mouth down to the
Ouffalo's throat, lay across it,sucking its life
blood" The fact is an extraordinary one.
for il has long been decided, upon what were
considered indisputaOle observations, that
] the tiger never, by any chance, commenced
/ its meal at the throat. Sometimes If there
was a fight, il would wound its adversary in
that spot; but as a rule, it trusts 70 its first
blow TO break its victims neck, aud then
/ pulling it down on the ground, begins to de-
your portion OF the headquarters. Nor
does it generally commence eating at once,
but viii drag its prey little distance, taking
precautions against surprise while feeding