The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-10-22

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it is called, is the best of all khubber,
and in such cases, if the tiger has not
been disturbed, the sportsman is almost
sure to find him lying somewhere close
to the carcass, and if his arrangements
are well made is pretty sure to get
shot at him.
Our shikarees, stimulated by liberal
backsheesh when their news resulted
IN bag, used often to bring us in
k5tu66er; but sometimes the news was
not very good; and when this was the
case, the less ardent sportsmen of our
number would frequently refuse to 60
out, and would make over their turn
to me. never refused, for | was
young and enthusiastic enough to love
the fun and the excitement of the hunt,
even when our expedition resulted in
no bag; and did not care for the chaff
with which my sedater comrades would
greet me on my return. Sometimes,
however, the laugh was on my side:
but | was wise enough, with view to
future contingencies, not to indulge in
it too much.
We had been having very fair sport
on and off for about six weeks, and the
animals in the junglcs close around
the station seemed to have been all
killed off or driven away, for a whole
week passed and no khubber good
enough to tempt even me did our shi-
karees bring. 1t was the seventh blank
day, and as we sat at our ch0td hdzri
(early morning cup OF some invigor-
atlng but harmless beYerage), under
the shade of a splendid mango-tree
which grew conveniently close to our
mess-house veranda, my chum and I
were discussing the necessity of taking
a weeks trip across the river which
sklrted our station, and were trying to
caJole our companions into letting us
haze the use of the elephants for
so long time. We had nearly sue
ceeded in persuading them of the use
lessness OF expecting to get any
more shooting close to Julbarri, and
two of the least enthusiastic of our
Nimrods had actually given in, when in
to the compound and right up to our
table who should dash but Jamala, the
very best and most trustworthy of all
our shikarees! Almost breathless, he
stammered out: "Sahib, sahib, two
such huge tigers! Their pugs are as
big as that and he described with the
end OF the stick he held in his hand
a figure in the dust, Intended to por-
tray the size of their footprints, which
would have done credit to 8 we'll
grown mammoth, "They have killed
a bullock in the Kala Jungle, only six
miles off; and am sure they were still
there when | left half an hour ago. l
ordered the elephants to be got ready
as | passed the lines.''
Here was news with vengeance:
but alas, it was my turn to stay in
environments; and with such splendid
6h~b6er as this | could not, of course,
even hint the suggestion of an ex-
change. 1t was the custom of those
going out, to borrow all the firearms
OF those remaining behind; so / and
Castleton, who was my comrade in
misfortune, made over our Joe Manton
guns and our Purdeys to our luckier
companions, and wished them good
speed with the best grace we could
muster; and if we betrayed our feel
ings little by throwing after them
the parting exhortation: ''Mind YOU
don't miss the tifteen-footer;n well, |
really think we ought to be forgiven.
Castleton was married man; and |
must crave the ladies' pardon for
emitting in my list of our Julbarri
residents the really charming Mrs.
Castleton and her fascinating sister,
Miss Jervoise. AS soon as the hunters
had gone, Castleton turned to me, and
said: ''You had better come over and
lunch with us, Watson. You'll only
be breaking your heart over visions of
those two fabulously footed tigers, if
you lunch at mess alone"
1 thanked him; and two o'clock
found me receiving the commissera-
lions OF the two fair ladies, while they
apressed upon me the usual profuse
hospitality of an Indian luncheon. We
had reached the dessert stage, and
Mrs. Castleton was just pressing me to
taste some specially delicious plantains
which neighboring raiah had sent
her the day before, when the bearer
came in, and, making salaam, said to
Castleton: "a man has just come
from that little hamlet of Goree; he
wants the sahib log to go out and shoot
a leopard which has just killed one of
his kids, and is now lying eating it in
a small patch of jungle. Goree is only
a mile and half from here"
We stared blankly at each other.
'What can we dop" said Castleton.
"Dop Why, go and shoot it, of
counsel" exclaimed the enthusiastic
Miss Jervoise.
"But, Kate DEAR broke in Mrs.
Castleton with wifely solicitude, ''the
elephants are all away, and how can
they shoot it?"
"Oh, l am not thinking about the
elephants" replied Castieton; .'but
Watson and | have lent all our rifles
and guns, and we haven't a single
thing of any kind left"
''There are the sepoys' rifles" I suo-
gested. 1--WE could take one of them
apiece; and, you know, we can't let
the leopard get off without having a
try for him. Can weP'
Eyes, there are the sepoys' rifles,
certainly" replied Castleton rather
doubtfully; "but''--
ana nave got a couple OF spears"
l interrupted. 'Oh, do let us 90 at
once, before he is disturbed"
"Well-all right; we'll try it," said
Castleton, hesitatingly.
lost no time in running home and
changing into a shooting costume.
Castleton sent his orderly off to the
lines for our weapons; and by the
time / had returned with the spears,
the orderly reappeared with a couple
OF rifles and a packet of cartridges. So
a very short time saw us mounted OH
our horses and following our guide out
to the little village of Goree.
81 am not very sure about the wis
dom of this business" said Castleton.
"Oh, it Will be all right / replied.
1--WE must be careful not to fire until
we are pretty sure to kill-that's ALL"
Him, yes, | suppose So" assented
my comrade somewhat doubtfully.
AS a matter of fact, it was not an
Overwise business. Our regiment was
armed in those DAVIS with tbo Sbor+ +o,o