The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1888-07-06

" reCuFll, anu Leo. the hyena, crept
at his heels, tail dragging on the
ground, and its whole demeanor that
OF abject fear. Oval walked past us
and around US, between the huts and
around them, and the beast gave us
no attention whatever. 1t painted as
alter ~ hard run, and one could see
that it was actually suffering. When
Gwal mad satisfied us he led the hyena
to the outskirts of the village, pointed
to the thicket, and exclaimed Co."
and the beast skunk off as if in fear OF
its life
"Wonderful, wonderful, "gasped each
one OF us i'll turn. II was like u mir.
aclc. Oval stood near us, leaning up
against u tree, rs if greatly worn out,
ana when we went over to him we
found him covered with pcrspira,ion.
The old woman with whom he made
his home led him away after q
little, and We saw no more OF him
until next morning.
Before we turned in for the night
the head man told us that at least
four man.eating tigers had their
haunts within q radius of ten miles,
and that we should depend upon
Oval, and let him manage the cam.
paign against them as he thought
best. There was no need OF firearms,
and Oval would sooner or later find
an occupant for each cage. He talked
OF caginc up full.grown tigers as care.
lessly as another man would OF trap
ping house rats, but lie knew the tiger
man better than we did. The idea OF
man. no matter what gifts he had
bringing n fierce man-eater to crawl
ON his belly was too absurd OF belief.
but Oval settled to our satisfaction
as well as chagrin. In two hours and
20 minutes after his departure he re.
appeared, and right at his heels, and
acting the same us the hyenn had net.
ed. was the largest tiger l ever saw.
1t was plain that the beast was ter.
rorized. A whipped puppy could not
have shown more serviity.
Oval came out Il moderate gait,
swinging u hand on either side OF him
AMI apparently paying no heed to the
tiger; but all those in our tree were
sure We heard him mumbling under
his breath. The tiger never looked
up, nor to the right nor left, but kept
its head down. AS they halted ut the
cage Oval threw up his hand as one
does when lie wants q dog to jump.
and the man-eatcr bounded into the
cage and cowed III IL corner. The na.
tive secured the door in n leisurely
manner AMI then approached us. We
were now on the ground, and us he
came up We noticed that he was in u
trcmble and very weak. 'rhe other
one was not at home. but shall have
him tomorrow, he said. II will now
lie down for IL little time"
Could we believe our own eyes?
We're We dreaming? There was the
living proof OF Gwal's wonderful pow
crs, and what could we say? We
moved down to the cage to get IL clio.
ser view OF the beast, and the sight of
us and our presence broke the strange
spell. For the next half hour the
tiger WAS wild with fury. and Il dozen
different times it seemed to us that
he would regain his liberty. Every
bar held, however. and he finally
tired himself out and became more
quiet,
Gwalslept until 6 O'Clock in the af.
ternoon when lie came forth refreshed
and full OF talk. The tiger was then
rnSin. about h,s cage, but the instant
the man appeared he covered and was
as quiet Us u lamb. The next fore.
noon his mate was brought in as he
had been, and within IL week we had
four tigers. We then moved to aspo,
about ls miles away. and Gwnl
brought in two others. both males.
His performance was the same i'll
each case, and in each case his de.
meanor and that Of the beast was
the same. 1t WIS magnetism develop.
cd to q wonderful degree. That single
eye OF his was n blaze OF fire when he
started out. We could all feel hls
electricity. Protected us he was, the
man had no fear Of any living thing,
and twice saw him pick UP the pos-
onons serpents and carry them along
for half u mile.
When the six tigers were slowed on
the barge paid Oval his 500, and
added $50 to it. He was not to 20
with us. but in case wanted more
tigers was to come to HIM. We
went down the river safely, and twice
strange man. lie once shipped me
four tigers on speculation, and made
n neat sum by it. and then came the
news OF his death, torn to pieces by
tiger. The native who gave me the
news explained:
When asleep he had no power. 1t
was the fire in his eye which cowed
the beasts. He fell asleep outside the
hut one evening and u tiger crept up
and killed him and carried him off"