The Arizona sentinel., 1888-06-09

|
told IL, however, that lie was
momentarily expecting visit from
his grandson, who was to bring him
some rice. and that the grandson could
fetch some of the villagers to act as
guides. Accordingly we decided to
remain IN the village all night. and tC
start upon the tiger trail in the morn
ing.
Soon after we had encamped the old
mans grandson appeared. We sent
a message by him to the villagers that
we were there to slay the tiger. and
asked them to send their best hunters,
with a bullock to be used for bait.
| We had our own tent with us, and
this we set up on the outskirts of the
village. Knowing that there was
Il man-eater in the neighborhood, it
behOoved us to keep the closest watch
during the night In order to do this
more effsctuallv we built big fire
and divided the night into watches.
One of the Sowars had first watch,
and we gave him strict orders that
he was not to sleep even so much as n
wink, for his life depended upon his
vigilance. A tiger will never hes itate
to attack n sleeping man, and he
crawls up so quietly that the victim
has no warning of the crafty animals
attack until the catlike spring is made
upon the prey. We ourselves lay
down inside the tent. previously. how
ever covering the sights of our rifles
with pieces of white cotton, so that
we might have something to guide us
if we should have to aim them sud-
denly in the dark. 1t seemed to me
that my eyes hal hardly been closeI
for five minutes, when l was startled
by the most unearthly shrek | ever
heard. II was but one terrifying cry,
and then all was silent. But too
well knew what itmeant. The SOWGr
on watch had fallen asleep, and the
tiger had pounced upon him and car
ried him off 10 the jingle. We fired
our rifles in the dire c;ion the brute
had taken, not with any hope of hi'-
ting, but trusting that the sound OF
firearms would make the beast drop
his victim. We followed him short
distance, and then, seeing how useless
it was to continue in the arkness. we
returned to camp Early next morn
ing we found traces of the poor sowGr
close to the camp. AT one place we
lNal nj Ia
ban. We could not find the body. and
the tiger had evidently dragged
it into the recesses of the jun-
gle. Soon after, some of the
villagers arrived. bringing n white
calf for bait. GIided By them. we
made our way 10 place about mile
away, close by a stream. where they
said that they had seen the tigers
tracks. showing that he came there to
drink. He was not to b. expected un-
til evening; so. after accommodating
the ground and selecting in n suitable
tree place TO build a nleechaunl, we
returned TO the village. In the even
ing we returned to the stream, and the
first thing we did was to build the
meechaum in the tree. We did not in
tend to shoot the tiger from the tree,
but made it only rs place in which to
pass the night, until we could "stal't'
the tiger to the spot where the bait
should be placed. Accordingly we
tethered the white calf in
the middle of clear space,
some two or three hundred
yards away, and when all prepara-
lions were complete VIC returned TO the
meechaum. You may be sure rot one
of us slept wink that night; we were
far too anxious, and when the very
faintest streak of dawn appeared we
slid down the tree, and slowly and
carefully crept to where the calf was
tethered. When we came near we at
first could see nothing of the calf, and
thoughtthat the tiger had carried him
off bodily; but our eyes were becoming
better accustomed to the gloom. and
as it was rapidly growing lighter. we
soon discerned something white
lying on the ground, and every
now and then moving lit
tie; and-ves! sure enough, there
was something else beside it! In the
East daylight comes almost as quickly
as does the evening darkness, and it
was not long before we could
make out the tiger and the clash
ing of his tail" He was lying full
length on the calfs body and
evidently, since the calf still moved.
had not yet killed it. On the other
side of the open ground there was a
lead tree. and thought: Master Ii
ger, if l can get behind that, you are
a dead tiger, and will 60 TO the happy
hunting-grounds of Tigerdom. ar
ranged with nv friend that he should |
stay where he was, to shoot the tiger |
if he turned in that direction. while / |
should steal over to the dead tree and |
try to get shot from there. l ar
rived at the tree all right and. slowly
taking careful aim at the tiger so that
might hit him right behind the
shoulder, Ifired. "Me-ow-w!" what
a roar he did give rs he sprang into
the air! l had hit him hard, and he
faced directly toward me, with his
eyes glowing like red-hot Goals.
Then he gave one frantic bound to-
ward where my friend was standing,
but it was his last leap. for The short,
sharp crack of a rifle rang out and.
with a bullet through his heart, the |