The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-07-09
A FEROC.OUS FIGHT.
Two Royal Bengal Tigers Engaged
I'm Mortal Combat.

In all India there was no tiger like
Kagra. He was a monster, and beauti-
fully streaked was his glossy coat as it
easily moved to and fro over his muscular
limbs and long back. Connoisseurs in
tiger lighting despaired of ever finding
a match in the arena for this elegant
beast. Yet when it was rumored that
tiger of enormous size and prodigious
strength had been captured safe and
sound in the Terai, which is a long strip
of jungle land between Dude and
Nepaul, ut the foot of the cloud kissing
Himalayas, then the eagerness of the
populace to witness the contest was un-
parallcled. The commander of the Anglo
Indian army was going to visit the king
of Dude, and the great event of this re-
ception it was resolved should be the
spectacle of contest between these two
animals. Preparations of the most
lavish descri ption were made. The court
yard was elaborately decorated with
! flowers and leaves whose briIliancy of
coloring alone furnished scene of
Oriental magnifcencc. The umbrella
shaped royal canopy of crimson and gold
tissue was raised above the state chair,
while similar seats of honor were fixed
! OH either side for the commander-in-
CHIEF anu Ills TeLtNu0.
The cages of Kagra and Terai allah.
| for that was the name of the stranger
tiger, were placed on the opposite sides
! of the court yard. Their long shining
backs were visible as they roamed
around their cages restless and greatly
| excited. 1t was the intention that the
animals should be aware of each others
presence, for it is a we'll known peculi-
arity of the tiger that, ferocious as as he
is, yet when sometimes suddenly brought
into the presence of unsuspected danger
| he covers and retreats.
It was soon evident, from the snarls
and growls of Kagra and Terai- Wallah,
that each tiger knew Of each others
presence, for they growled and snapped
king of felines.
boo railing in front of the cages arose.
Terai- -Wallah sprang nimbly as a cat out
of his cage, opening bis jaws and shak
powerful motion. Kagra advanced
slowly until both animals were, perhaps
fifty feet apart shaking their tails, mean
while, as they steathily eyed each other.
Then Kagra advanced few PAGES.
His adversary lay himself down in the
courtyard, his feet we'll under him, as if
ready for spring. Kagra watched his
foe intently and began approaching. not
in straight line, but coming up in the
arc of circle, as if to catch his oppo
rent unawares. Terai Wallah rose to
his feet and described similar arc,
though on the opposite side. The gal
leries were breathless with suspense. Even
the rustling of fans ceased, for the eyes
of all the vast audience were intently
fixed on the two beautiful beasts circling
toward each other. Step by step each
slowly advanced Kagra, as if sefdc
fiant made a spring. 1t was as if he was
impelled to it by some unseen power that
he could not resist, yet at the same in
slant, Terai Wallah jumped aside. Kag
! ra alighted foiled, and before he could
recover himself Terai- Wallah was upon
him. his huge claws fixed firmly in his
neck and the horrid jaws grating at his
throat 1t was the work of moment.
1t could scarcely be seen that Terai- Wal
iah had gained any advantage, when
Kagra made another spring, bound in
which was concentrated all his energy.
The Terai- Wallah was dragged with him
for short space. The claws that had
been dug into the neck had been torn
gratingly through it, the open mouth
snapped fearlessly but harmlessly at the
advancing shoulder, which bore marks
of Terai- Wallah's sharp teeth.
For moment the two tigers stood
gazing at each other with distendel jaws,
their ample mouths opened to their ut
most limits, their beautifully streaked
skins started from their forms in excite
ment, while their tails moved convul
sively as if swapping like whipcord.
Kagra was the first to attack again. but
he was too near to try his former trick of
slipping to one side. He advanced
boldly. They stood in the center of the
arena, and their sharp claws moved so
rapidly and their huge mouths trying to
grasp each others necks, that it was i'm
possible to tell the attack from the de-
fense. They drew gradually nearer as
they thus fought, uttering fierce snarls.
Each seemed to have succeeded in grasp
ing the others throat. With their
mouths buried in each others flesh and
their claws dug deeply into the neck,
they arose at length to the contest on
their hind feet, straining and tugging,
and wrestling as it were with each other,
each with its utmost force and skill. 1t
was sublime moment, aud breathless
was the interest of the assembled multi
tude They stood fully six feet high as
they thus grappled with each other,
elevated on their hind legs in kind of
death struggle, their round heads and glar-
ing eyes surmounting the muscular pill
lars of their long bodies. Firmly their
claws were fixed into the neck on both
sides. There was no shifting of position.
No further grasping either with claw or
mouth. It was contest of life or death.
Both were bleeding freely and it was a
contest of strength now as to which
would be thrown under and loose its
hold. At length Kagra, more skillful
or impetuous than her antagonist, over
threw him, and the two rolled over in
the arena, Terai- w allah on his back be-
meath Kagra above.
''Kagra has it'll" shouted many voice
but the advantage was with him for only
moment. The hind claws OF Kagra
were being plunged into the stomach OF
his foe, when Terai allah, who never
let go his hold for moment with his
mouth, struck one of his fore paws over
the face of his antagonist. His claws
evidently pierced Kagra's eyes. One OF
them was torn from its socket, and utter
ing howl of pain and despair the mu-
tilated beast relinquished his grip, and
would have torn himself from his antago.
mist. But Terai- Wallah would not lei
go his hold, but clung pertinaciously te