The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-07-06
TOUGH TALE ABOUT TIGERS
Now 0ne.Eyed Native Of india
Gathered In Wild Animals.

Dispatch gets OIL this apochryphal
yarn:
When at Bombay, in 1860, making
preparations to go up the country
and fill an order for six tigers for
Amsterdam, very singular person.
age crossed my path. l had been in
India for two years, as the agent o.
the great German animal house, and
had sub.agents in dozen districts
We were constantly forwarding ser
pents, jackals, hyenas, wolves, butfa'
loes, tigers and such curiosities as fell
into our traps, and now and then re
ceived an extra order. The order for
"six wild. full.grown tigers, males pre-
ferred," came from Egypt. Messages
were sent to sub agents, and rot
ready for q trip to the Northeast
among the tiger jungles
One afternoon u stranger was an
nounced under the name OF Oval
He was a tall. stitf.appearing figure,
moving with all the dignity of a prince,
but his face was SO horribly disfigurcd
that ! could not repress a start oI
surprise. He had been born with a
single eye, and that almost in thu cen.
ter of his face. His nose waslike that
OF a dog, and his mouth was wide, al.
most without lips and full OF tancs.
He was more OF u freak than Jo 10,
the dogfaced, and would have l,een a
great card in a museum. Heexpec.ed
to see me start with surprise, and lie
expected me to look at him with sur.
prise. He gave me plenty oftjme, and
then. bowing very low, he said:
~ am told the Sahib is hunter OF
beast"
"Yes."
"You capture them alivc?"
"Yes."
81 should like to 60 with you. I
am called the tiger man. am not
afraid ut any wild beast. No animal
dares attack nir,"
He informed me that he had come
from Il village called .Iophur, on the
Gadavery river, 200 miles away, and
that scores OF people would voucil
Tor the truth of his statements.
Twice within the year ! had heard OF
this man and his wonderful doinys,
but had no faith in the stories. That
hepossessed wonderful magnetism over
the animal creation he soon gave me
proofs. The next bungalow on the
right was occupied by Captain Rich
ard Taylor, of the Fifty-tirst Native
Infantry. He had n savage dou
chained up in the rear of the house.
The brute was dangerous, ana had
not been free from his chain for two
months. The servants had to throw
MIN his food, and even the Captain,
dared not 20 within reach.
"lf you are II tiger man you are not
AFRAID OF a savage dog?" queried. as
ne finished u statement OF his wonder
full powers.
"!.ead me to the beast" he curtly
replied.
The captain was at home. and l
went over and told him ofthe natives
presence. Then we called the man
over, and after the Captain had salts.
fled his curiosity, he said to him:
"fou may be u brave man, but do
not expose yourself. My dog will kill
you If you 20 near him. shall have
him shot this week."
"iour dog will cover and whine"
soberly answered Gwal.
| "Well the risks be on your own
head"
We passed around the bungalow
and through n gate. and the dog, who
was about so feet away. at once
sprnng up and tuggeG savasely Mt his
chain. There could be no doubt OF
his savage fury. His eyes blazcl. he
frothed at the mouth. and his efforts
to break the stout chain filled one
with alarm.
The native waited u minute before
showing himself. As soon as he step.
ped in front OF us there WAS
~ change in the dogs do.
meanor. Indeed he seemed to dodge
as ii a missile had passed close to his
ear. The native slowly approached,
and before he was within ten feet of
him the dog was down OH his belly
and uttering whines for mercy. Gwal
unfastened the collar on his neck.
spoke three or four words in a low
voice. and then walked about and the
dog followed at E,s heels. Such u
change from savage fury to utter sur.
Witty was astounding. 1t was plain
that the dog was cowcd and afraid,
and that Oval had wonderful powers.
He approached us, and as he came
close up the dog never raised his eyes
to give us q look. He kept his eyes
on the ground. and we could see that
he was in q tremble Of fear.
"ls the Sahib satistied?', Quietly
asked Oval ,at the end OF ten minutes.
"Yes."
He readjusted his collar and the dog
skunk into his box,so cowed and over
come that child might have used q
whip on him.
While this adventure with the dog
did not prove that the Gwal would
have equal success with will beasts,
saw that he was valuable man for
our party and at once engaged him.
He stated that the hedistrict from which
he Gu ME was infested with many large
serpents and wild beasts, and his sug.
cestions rs to our proceedings were
very businesslike and valuable. Be-
side the six OF lis regularly engaged in
the traffic. Major Lawrence, Of the
Eighth Light Cavalry: Colonel Shaw.
OF the Nineteenth Regiment, and Cap.
tain Smith, commanding the battery
attached to the Eleventh Native Revi.
ment. were allowed to accompany us
they having permits OF absence and
desiring to 90 on II hunt.
We occupied l2days on the journey,
which were without startling incident.
and one afternoon arrived in good
shape ut the village OF .Iohpur. With.
ont ~ hint to me, and in some manner
yet unknown. the tiger man had sent
word on ahead. and the first
thing We saw OH entering the village
were six stout cages which the natives
had constructed to hold the six tigers
we had come for. 1t was case OF
providing the cage before the bird was
caught, and it settled my belief that
Oval was what he claimed to be.
We received a warm welcome ut the
village, and after little the head man
told me further about the tiger man.
He had been found in The forest when
only Il couple OF weeks old, and had
ever since been regarded as only half.
human. He possessed u strange pow
er over wild or domestic animals. and
had several times compelled man-eat-