The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-07-10
GWAL, THE TIGER MAN.


From the Chicago Times.
When at Bombay in 1863, making prepara-
tons to go up the country and fill an order for
six tigers for Amsterdam, very singular per-
sonage crossed my patch, says writer in the
New York Sun. ! had been IN India for two
years as the agent Of the great German animal
house, and had sub-agents in dozen districts.
We We're constantly forwarding serpents,
jackals, hyenas, wolves, butfalces tigers, and
such curiosites as fell into our traps, and now
and then received an extra ORDER The order
for 'sx wild, full grown tigers, males pre-
ferred," came from Egypt. Messages were
sent to sub. agents, and ! got ready for trip
to the northeast, among the tiger jungles.
One afternoon a stranger was announced
under the name OF Oval. He was a tall, stiff
appearing figure, moving with all the dignity
OF prince, but his face was SO horribly dlsfg-
ured that / couldnt repress a start OF surprise.
He had been born with single eye, and tEat
aimestin the centre OF his face Ills noss was
like that OF dog and his mouth was wide,
almost without lips, and full of fangs. He
was more of freak than Jo-Jo, the dog-faced.
and would have been q great card in muse
um. He expected 20 see me- start with sur
prise, and he expected me to look at him with
surprise. He gave me plenty Of time, and
then, bowling very low, he said
II am told the sahib is hunter Of beasts"
ayes"
"You capture them alive?o
eyes"
81 should like to go with you. am called
the tiger-man i am not afraid Of any wild
beast No animal dares attack me-
II know the lar OF couple OF tigers. IL Is
distant about an hour. / shall go and bring
in one. No one must come with me, and YOU
must not fire your guns or make noise. Let
one Of the cages be placed under that tree over
there, and in q couple Of hours it shall be oc-
cupied by fine tiger. The last time saw
nun nc had sore ear. 1t should now be
we'll"
It made us stare at each other to hear man
talking that way, but had the cage carried to
the spot designated and oval took his leave
of us as If simply going out to search for n
bee-tree When he had disappeared the head
man advised that the Villagers 20 indoors and
keen quiet, and our band was divided in half
and placed in trees where we could plainly SEQ
the cage. Stray rumors Of GwaPs wonderful
powers had reached the ears of the three
British officers, and they had seen the per-
Torrance with the hyena with eyes wide
open but they were skeptical as to his powers
over tiger All of us were for that matter.
The idea Of man, nc matter what gifts ho
had, bringing n fierce man eater to crawl on
his belly, was too absurd for belief But
Oval settled it to orr satisfaction as well as
chagrin In two hours and twenty minutes
after his departure he reappcared, and right at
his heels and acting the same as the hyena
had acted was the largest tiger | over saw
1t was plain that the beast was terrorized Al
whipped puppy could not have shown moro
servility Oval came along at u moderate gait,
swinging hand on either side Of him, and an
parently paving no heed to the TIGER bat all
those In our tree were sure we heard him
munbling under his breath The tiger
never looked up, nor to the right nor to tho
left, but kept its head down. AS they halted
at tho cage Oval threw np his hand as one
docs when he wants dog to jump, and the
man-eater bounded into the cage and covered
i'm a corner The native secured the door in a
leisurely manner and then approached us.
We were now on the ground and as he came
up we noticed that lie was in tremble and
very weak
'rhe other one was not at home, but shall
have him tomorrow" he said. II will now lie
down for q little time"
Could we believe our own eyes? Were we
dreaming? There was the living proof OF
say? We moved down to the cage TO get q
close view Of the beast, and the sight of US and
our presence broke the strange spell For tho
next half hour the tiger was wild with fury