Iron County register., 1886-11-25
FROLlC WITH TIGERS.

A Dogs Playful Meeting With Two Man
Eaters In an Indian Village.
There were a few cowardly cur dogs
in the village. but none of these had
been molested by the tigers" said Cap
tain Kincardin, late of India, lone of
them took a great liking to me, and
when I mounted to the platform to
begin my watch he lay down at the foot
of the tree Iscolded at him and threw
three or four broken branches at his
head, but he refused to 60 away. 1t
was balmy evening. with plenty of
stars but no moon. One could have
seen man moving many rods away, if
he kept in the open, but it was very
dark under the trees, and the grass in
the openings was two feet high. l was
close to the hut from which the man
had been dragged, but had not kept my
watch long before l realized that it was
a great chance if 1 caught the slightest
glimpse of the expected visitors. There
were so many dark spots below me and
the foliage so obstructed my vision that
I had a good mind to descend and seek
for some other position. However, J.
held on, and by and by the village grew
quiet and my vigil became a lonely one,
indeed. The villagers were IN a happy
frame of mind, believing the man-eaters
as good as dead or driven to some other
district, now that we had arrived.
Some of them even neglected to drop
the brankets hanging at their doors.
at had come to be ten O'Clock, and
was wondering if dared to light che
root, when | heard the dog before me
whine and move about. Next moment
Icaught sight of two dark objects steal
ing across the open space toward the
foot of my tree, and realized that the
tigers had come The dog ran out TO
meet them, singular as it may appear,
and then occurred familiar scene;
You have seen a mastiff stand still IN all
his dignity while a puppy scampered
around HIM in play. Well, the tigers
stood there as stiff as two statues, and
the cur ran around in circle and tried
his best to get up frolic. They at first
orowIed in q menacing way, but as he
Continued his play they grew better-na-
tured, and after few minutes all three
wore in for a frolie. / could not sec as
distinctly as l could have wished Tor,
Ibut / made out the movements very
well. The tigers jumped over the dogs
a dozen different times, and ON three or
:four occasions dropped their tails and
ran away to let him pursue them, but
.alwaysscon,ing back TO the same place.
I softly cooked my gun for shot, but
they were so constantly on the move
that dared not risk It. Our object
was to kag one or both. instead
of driving them away from the
neighborhoed by general alarm. Ihe
play continued for a quarter OF an hour.
and ceased then because child in a hut
near by cried out in its sleep. The
tipers changed their demeanoE in an IN
slant. and a loN growl warned the ooS
that the frolic was at an end. he om
NOT want it so, hut scarcely had he re-
newed his efforts when one of the beasts
struck blow with its paw and lad him
dead on the grass. Then both stoou
stood stock still, listening for the cry TO
be repeated They were side py sue.
broads de TO me and not hundred feet
away. but in the darkness 1t was a
chance shot. pulled trigger, ana tne
report of the rife was followed oy ter-
rible growing and snarling ana tne
saunds of claws at work in the grass.
The natives were out in a moment
shouting. screaming and blowing hofns.
and as soon as THEN torches were ailghs
I descended from my perch. one OF
the tigers was rolling over and over on
the ground and uttering sounds OF rage