The Iola register., 1886-11-19
A "NERVY" HUNTSMAN
Shoots a Tiger While Being At.
tackled by Serpent.

ii nave hunted wild animals in al
most every country where they exist, ,
said Captain Kincardin, land of course
have had my share of perilous adven
lures. To be "a successful sportsman, il
the higher sense of the term, require.
perfect health and powers of endurance
TO start with. A man who can't tramr
ten or twelve hours on a stretch, ford
ing streams, climbing hills, lodging
iungles, and wading swamps, is nc
good in the game countries. The next
things required are nerve and GOODNESS,
although the two generally 60 together.
No sportsman of reputation will feel
fattered when you praise his nerve. 1t
is something which comes natural to
him. When you have only one shot
left, and rhinoceros is bearing down
upon you, or mad tiger is lashing his
tail for spring, or lion is giving you
warning that he considers you his meat,
You don't want 10 make mistake. In
the few seconds left you, you want to
DO just the right thing. If you are the
least ratified your friends mi ght as well
write your obituary notice.
Il went out from Bengalers in the
fall of 1870 with party of British Off
GERS TO hunt tigers. We, of course, in
tended to knock over any thing else in
the shape of game, but tigers were the
main object. We took the railroad for
a hundred miles UP the country, and
then secured carts and drivers and beat
ers at a village, and drove twenty miles
to a range of wooded hills, which were
greatly cut up with gulies and travcrsed
by several small creeks. The nearest
village was in fertile valley three
miles from our camp. The inhabitants
were preparing to leave it as we reached
the neighborhood. Two man-eating
tigers had made their appearance IN the
hi Is and CT Gated the greatest consterna-
ton. Their first victim had been seized
from family circle sitting around fire
Just at dusk. He was a boy about fif-
teen years old, and the beast had seized
him by the hip and trotted off with him
as dog carries bone. She was in no
hurry, going at slow trot, and her
male covered her retreat and menaced
the father as he shouted and flung fire.
brands. The boys cries were heard for
long time, and next morning many
places were found along the trail where
he had clutched the grass VITA his hands
and pulled it up by the roots. He had
been carried less than half mile, and
all that was found of his remains were
two or three of The larger bones and
some bloody fragments of clothing.
The villagers organized grand hunt to
either XII the tigers or drive them away,
but the result was the killing of one
man and the wounding of two others,
the beasts seeming rather to seek con-
fict than avoid one by running.
1.-The hunt was abandoned and the
villagers lived in state of terror for
the next week. The appearance of a
single man-eating tiger in the vicinity
of a native village creates more terror
than fire or flood or epidemic. After
tiger has eaten three or four human be-
ings he seems to lose all his fear of
man, and it is a fact that he will eat no
other meat unless reduced to fierce
hunger. When the natives would no
longer 60 forth to give this pair of
tigers opportunities to seize them the
beasts invaded the village. The huts
were frail structures, with doors and
windows guarded by blankets, and the
tigers had entered three different
places by night and carried off victims.
a woman whose husband had been
seized related the circumstances with
great detail. A light had been kept
burning to keep the beasts away, but
S the family of five were asleep on the
floor at midnight one of the great cats
,prang in at the window, which was
undefended. This opening. as l saw
myself, was only about two feet square
The beast sprang over a child to seize
the husband and father. gripping the
man by the right shoulder. There was
a heavy blanket at the door. and the
tiger had not noticed that opening. OF
course all the sleepers were at once
aroused, and all set up great yelling
and screaming. So far from the tiger
being in the least put out by the con-
fusion. he took his own time and paid
no attention to any one but his victim.
He pinned the man down flat on his
back for moment, growing in low
tone.
''Strike him with my sword!" called
the man to his wife. but she, poor thing.
was two frightened TO use the weapon.
although it was at hand and sharp
enough TO have inflicted great injury.
With his free arm the man caught up a
billet OF wood and belabored the tiger,
but the beast took firm hold, lifted the
man up, and sprang for the opening.
1t was full ly seven feet from the floor.
and both Eell back with a crash. The
tiger s.,ed it again. but with the same
rest.it. lie then changed his hold to the
man 5 throat. made q third spr rng. and
after some hard work managed TO Get
oHt with his victim, though it seemed
absolutely impossible for him to accom-
plish it.
This occurred on the night before
our arrival, and we found the window
casing covered with blood and showing
the marks of claws. Further than that,
the spoor left by the beast as it dragged
the body away was plain to be followed,
and we ran over it about half mile to
find the SPOT where the victim had been
eaten. We had camped, as I tod you,
In the hills about three miles from the
village. The facts / have given were
picked up in the village by an officer
and myself, we having galloped over to
buy milk and fowls. We were more
likely TO find the tigers there in the hills,