Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-01-07
TALE OF A TIGER HUNT.

Unlike most Anglo Indians, l am moth
ing of u sportsman. Like the rest OF my
tribe, have always possessed Colts re-
volver, with sufficient complement OF
cartridges: nor have ever been without
a good central fire, breech loading, double
harreled gun. But the former has,
through all the years of my Indian career,
waited mutely for the burglar, who, thank
goodness, has never invaded my bachelor
bungalow, and the latter has chiefly justi-
fed its continuance in my possession by
giving my faithful bearer something to do
in cleaning its almost unused barrels.
When say that my gun is a choke bore,
you will understand that il is more suited
for snipe shooting and the pursuit Of
ducks and plover than for the destruction
of larger game. Iu 1880 ] was in camp
at the foot Of the Tipperah hills
Ny tent was pitched under the
shade of a vast banyan tree, and on the
bank of a picturesque little hill stream,
close to the station where his highness the
maharajah OF independent Tipperah col
lecis tolls from such of our fellow sub
jects rs cut timber in his vast forests.
Hard by was the collection of thatched
huts in which lived the maharajah's s
agent. Mohammedan gentleman Of
much local influence, hospitable, as al
most all Indians of position are hOspit-
able especially 10 those in authority over
them, plausible and pleasant in his man
ners, rs Mohammedans nearly always are,
and bent upon showing ne-whO WAS,
alas, quite content to take him at his
word-that he was as good and stanch u
sportsman rs any Sahib Of them all For
days before my arrival the hill folk had
been warned to look out for traces Of
tigers or bears, and it was with obvious
pride and satisfaction that my friend an
uounced to me one lovely, cool morning in
December that he had succeeded in put
ting nets round patch of jungle in which
lurked a fine tiger There was nothing
for il but To make a hasty breakfast and
to start with my trusty gun aforesaid over
my shoulder for the agents house. I'm
fortunately the only cartridges had
with me were loaded, il you will believe
me, with snipe shot. was 10th to damp
my friends enthusiasm b. admitting that
I was insufiiciently armed for tiger
hunt, and resolved To trust to his skill
In forest warfare for the conquest Of the
tiger and the safety Of our skins. To me
was allotted the post Of honor on the back
OF a small and, MS it seemed to me- eX-
tremely nervous young elephant. whose
movements were so erratic that 1t was as
much as I could do to hold on to the
ropes by which the pad on which I sat
was bound; and could not help wishing
that l were gifted, like an Indian god,
with an extra pair of arms for the due
management Of my weapon. To make
matters more uncomfortable, the mahout,
or driver, behind whose back was
perchesl, was either very cold or very
frightened. for his teeth chattered dole
fully. and, unlike most Of his class, he
seemed unwilling to talk
We were picturesque procession
enough as we started for the forest.
led the way on my elephant; next came
INV Mohammedan friend, with = gaudy
skull cap perched very much on one side
Of his flowing and curly locks; over his
shoulder was slung an ancient single bar
relied. muzzle loading gun; and il was NO
small comfort to notice that, Whatever
my own inward doubts and tremors might
be, my friend at least WAS full Of enthu-
siastn and pleasant anticipation Of an ex-
citing tiay's work. Behind him came two
or three Mussulmans armed like himself;
and the rear was brought up BY miscel-
lanesus crowd Of Tipperans, Manipuris
aud plains people, who had been i'm
pressed as beaters. XII = -
II WAS lovely lnorninR-bright, clear
and cool-and, even in my somewhat ex-
cited state. 1t was impossible not to ad-
mirs the lovely glimpses Of forest scenery.
which opened TO our right and left as we
made our way slowly up the bed Of the
little stream BY which my tent had been
pitched. Every now and again We passed
. small 1ipperah village, the wooden
houses raised like those Of all the eastern
hill folk, on piles some six or seven feet
above the level of the ground In one an
ancient headman, gray and bent with age.
advanced to wish us success in our effort
to rid the countryside Of . pest whose
rayages had thnaed the cattle of the
neighboring villages wofully; and as
acknowledged his salaans, heartily
wished that my place could have been
taken by some one better armed and more
skillful than myself. But soon the vii
lages grew rarer; the patches Of golden
paddy. set in a frame of dark, dense jun
gle. ,.,ore infrequent We heard the shrill
cry Of jungle fowl in the woods, and
the cooling OF innumerable doves in
the feathery branches of the wild
bamboos. Soon the path became al
most impossible; and the elephant and its
driver were busy tearing down branches
and clearing a way for us through the
dense underground of treefern and gor-
geous Towering creepers. Where the
shade was densest, the air struck chill
even to nv well clothed limbs, and could
sympathize with the tremors of my half
naked mahout: and again, when We
emerged into a clearing, deserted by the
migratory cultivation of the hill people,
the sun struck fiercely and rendered the
protection of ones huge sun hat very
grateful. At last. and. as | thought, only
too soon, we reached the patch OF forest
"hiSh hiu oVeu he''eu- hhc Vaee's us