The Springdale news., 1888-08-10
THE KING OF BEASTS.
The Tiger, Not the Lion. Fairly En-
 titled to the Name.
His Great Courage, Strength and Superior ActiNity-An Adept in Strategy and Cunning-An EngIishman's
 Adventure in
 Cave,

For several reasons the tiger is fairly entitled to the name of king of Beasts, {" an honor which has long been borne by the lion. lie is more courageous than the lion, fully equals him in strength, and possesses superior activity He makes less noise while seeking his prey, and is consequently more danger our than the lion, and he attacks ani- mals from which the so-ealled King will flee as soon as he knows of their presence. The lion often displays down. right cowardice, which is not the case with the tiger, and in strategy and cum ning the tiger is an adept
 Tigers are far more destructive than lions, both among men and the lower animals. Ordinarily they do not attack men, but as they grow old and are un- able to cope with deer, buffalos and cat tie, they are apt to become man-eaters They lie in wait by the roads and paths and spring on the unsuspceting natives, whom they generally kill at the first blow of their powerful paws. Having once tasted human flesh. and learned how easily it is obtained, they continue to be man-eaters as long as they live \ single man-eating tiger will depopulate large area, as the natives flee in ter TOT, and can not be induced to work in the fields OF pass along the roads.
 In one district Of India d man-eating tiger killed one hundred and twenty seven persons in q short time, and caused q acomplete suspension of business for several months. Another tiger killed one hundred and fifty persons in three years, compelled the abandon mcnt of many villages. and threw two hundred and fifty square miles Of land out of cultivation The Government offered one thousand dollars for the head of this tiger, and he WAS finally killed by m officer of the army.
 Tigers are hunted in variety of ways. The oldest plan. said 10 have originated with the Chinese tive OF three thousand years ago. is to place d look heavy beam suspended above it. The tiger sees his own face in the mirror. and takes it for another animal Of his race. He rushes forward to attack it. and in so doing springs the trap and tbe falling beam crushes him with it's weight.
 He is caught in pitfalls, shot from Mwhans or stands erected near his path, and baited with a goat or sheep which is tied at a little distance. and he is killed by means of poisoned arrows discharged by bows set in his path and let of when touched In some parts of India several large leaves covered with sticky substance are placed in his path; he steps on one and tries To remove it by rubbing his paw on his face. The leaf adheres to his face and blinds him, and in his struggles he rolls on the ground and more and more leaves are added. He roars with anger. and the hunters. who have been con ccaled few hundred yards away, come with their weapons, and despatch him.
 While in India was invited to a tiger hunt on grand scale, after the manner usually practiced whom Europeans are concerned. Nearly hundred elephants were drawn up in line at the edge of d jungle where the tigers were supposed to obeconeealed; the hunters were seated in the howdahs on the backs of the cle- phants, and held their guns ready for the work as soon as the game should come in sight. Several natives were sent to the other side of the jungle to net as heaters and drive the tigers in 4 f,,,, ,f made great noise with horns and other instruments, and kept up con tinual popping of guns; of course the din thus created caused the tigers 10 flee to the other side ofthe jungle, which appeared to be the safest, that where the hunters were waiting for them.
 Six tigers in all were killed, but fully as many more escaped. Some of the cle- phants became frightened, and their drivers lost control of them for short time, but fortunately no accident oc- cured Sometimes elephants run away, and the men in the howdahs are dashed against the limbs of trees or thrown to the ground.
 Two hunters usually occupy single howdah on one of these expeditions. Fortune threw me into the companion shipof an experienced hunter, an officer who had lived some thirty odd years in India, and was passionately fond of the tiger-chase. He told me many stories of his hunting adventures, which have no space for here. with the exception of one which related how he once went to sleep in a tigers den.
 Hunting tigers with elephants is fairly dangerous said he, but there is a way far more risky than this; all of us Englishmen who come to India do it in our early days. but generally give it up after few trials, with the exception of Il small minority who have the real sportsman's blood in them. l refer to hunting on foot, and pursuing the tiger into his haunts
 Generally two of us club together, and hire anywhere from twenty to a hundred natives, with an old shekarry or chief huntsman at the head. The ehekarry leads the party. and directs