The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1886-12-30

knew. As I hurried back 10 nv perch
I heard his sharp claws tearing at the
bark, and I was truly thankful for the
knowledge that ne could not climb. As
I reached my perch I drew my knife as
the only weapon left me, and the tiger,
feeling that 1 had escaped him for the
moment, walked out into the bright
moonlight with deliberate step, looked
up at me with a low growl, and then
stood at the edge of the pool and lap
ped the water. He was engaged at
this when I heard a loud '.woof!" from
the Jungle, and the next instant a rhi-
noceros broke cover and came charg-
ing at the tiger with a rush that would
have knocked down a stone wall. His
movement proved that he was a bad
rhinoceros, and it was probably this
fellow who had annoyed and excited
the jaguar.
The tiger had warning enough as the
big beast came across the open, and he
stood in his tracks until I thought he
would be run down before he moved a
foot. Then he lightly sprang aside,
and the rhinoceros crashed into the
pool, out on the other side, and came
numbering back with scarcely a halt in
his gait The tiger was waiting for him
about twenty feet from the edge of the
basin. He was crouched for a spring,
and his tail moved in a menancing way.
The big beast uttered another ''woof!"
and went for him with head down and
teeth grinding. just at the right in
slant the tiger rose and sailed right
over his enemy like a ball curving in
the air, and the rhinoceros passed on
for thirty feet before he could check
himself. Again the tiger was in wait
ing, and now he uttered q continuous
purring, as the affair raj great sport to
him. As soon as the rhinoceros got
eyes on him he charged again, and this
time the tiger lighted on his back and
chung there. The big fellow stood still
for a moment, and then began gallop-
ing around in a circle and giving utter
ance to snorts of rage. It struck me
all at once that I ought to take advan-
tage of the situation to secure my gun.
I started to descend, but it seemed that
| the tiger had his eye on me. He left
| the back of the rhinoceros and came
for me with great bounds, and I made
haste back to my perch. The rhinoc-
eros followed him to the tree and for
ten minutes ~persevered in his attacks,
the tiger now growing and showing
his teeth and evidently becoming an
noyed. He several times l4aped to the
back of the beast and clawe ed at him in
the fiercest manner, but / doubt if he
inflicted any injury through the tough
hide. The rhinoceros slapped on the
stock of my rifle and crushed it, and I
knew then / was doomed ia an all-night
watch on the platform, With only the
knife to defend myself.
After ten or fifteen minutes of hard
work, without accomplishing any thing
in the way of besting the tiger, the
rhinoceros got some sense In his head
and moved on into the jungle, where
he thrashed about in an ugly way for a
long time. The tiger soon showed by
his actions that he wanted me very
badly. He uttered furious growls,
clawed at the bark of the tree, and
made several springs which brought
him within arms length of the plat
form. He had just fallen back from
one of these bounds when he uttered a
sound 30 unlike all others which had
preceded it that my attention was at
once attracted. I made out in an in
slant hat he had been seized by a large
serpent. For aught I knew, the snake
may have been curled on n of the
great lower limbs of my own tree.
There were plenty Of dead leaves and
other refuse under the tree, and the
parties to the struggle kicked up such
a cloud of stuff that 1 could not always
get a clear view of them. I made out
that the snake, which vas probably q
boa, had succeeded in getting a turn OF
two around the tiger, while the latter
was using his teeth and claws in the
most vigorous ann to free himself,
They rolled about for three or four min
utes, and then the tiger began whining
exactly like a defeated dog. This cul'
minated in a l~ong-drawn wall, and
then I knew that the boa had gained a
victory. I saw him moving the body
around. but presently he drew it into
the shadow, and 1 heard sounds to in
dictate that he was making off with it
My defenseless position took my cour
age away, and what did I do but de-
scend and head for the village. That ]
ever reached it was considered a mir
acle, for the jungle through which
passed seemed alive with wild beasts
What I knew was cowardice on my par
was taken by all the others to be thu
feat of a man who could not feel wha
fear Next day we returned t.
the pool, but found neither snake O.
tiger, and the rhinoceros had ais