Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1885-08-05
Two Royal Bengal Tigers Engage in
Mortal Combat.

bamboo railing in front of the cages
arose. Terai Wallah sprang nimbly
as cat out of his cage, opening his
jaws and shaking his tail from side to
side with slow, yet powerful motion.
Kagra advanced slowly until both
animals were, perhaps fifty feet from
each other, shaking their tails, mean-
while, as they stealthily eyed each
other. Then Kagra advanced few
PAGES. His adversary lay himself
down on the courtyard, his feet well
under him, as if ready for a spring
Kagra watched his foe intently and
began approaching, not in a straight
line, but coming up in the arc of q
circle, as if to catch his opponent un'
awares. Terai Wallah rose to his feet
and described similar arc, though
on the opposite side. The galleries
were breathles. with suspense. Even
the rustling of fans ceased, for the
eyes of all the vast audience was in.
tently fixed on the two beautiful
beasts circling toward each other.
Step by step each slowly advanced
Kagra, as if self.confdent, 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,
Kagra 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 a moment. 1t could scarce
ly be seen that Terai Wallah had
gained any advantage, when Kagra
made another spring, a bound in which
he concentrated all his energy. Terai
Wallah was dragged with him for a
short space. The claws that had been
dug into his neck were torn gratingly
through it, the open mouth snapped
fiercely but harmlessly at the advanc-
ing shoulder which bore marks of
Terai Wallah's sharp teeth.
For a moment the two tigers stood
gazing at each other with distended
jaws, their ample mouths opened to
their utmost limits, their beautifully
streaked skins started from their
forms in excitement, while their tails
moved convulsively 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 impossi-
BILE to tell the attack from the defense.
They drew gradually nearer as they
thus fought, uttering fierce snarls.
Each seemed to have succeeded in
grasping 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 rs it were
with each other, each with its utmost
force and skill.
1t was sublime moment, and
breathless was the interest Of the as
sembled multitude. 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 glaring eyes
surmounting the Muscular pillars of
their long bodies. Firmly their claws
were fixed into the neck OF both sides.
There was no shifting of position.
No further grasping either with claw
or mouth. 1t was contest of life
or death. Both were bleeding freely
and it was contest of strength now
as to which would be thrown under
and loose its hold. At length Kagra,
more skillful or impetuous than his
antagonist, overthrow him, and the
two rolled over in the arena, Terai
Wallah on his back beneath Kagra
above.
"Kagra has i'll" shouted many a
voice; but the advantage was with
him for only moment. The hind
claws of Kagra were being plunged
into the belly Of his foe, when Terai
Wallah, Who never let 90 his hold for
moment with his mouth, struck one
of his fore paws over the face Of his
antagonist. His claws evidently pierc-
ed Kagra's eyes. One of them was
torn from its socket, and uttering a
howl Of pain and despair the mutilat-
ed beast relinquished his grip, and
would have torn himself from his an
tagonist. But Terai Wallah would
not let 60 his hold, but clung pertin-
ciously to his threat. He was dragged
few PAGES over the arena by Kagra,
who in turn tried to release himself,
and then, all at once leaping from
his PROSTATE position, Terai Wallah
a