Sacramento daily record-union., 1888-08-04
TWO TIGER STORIES.


Comedy and tragedy go hand in hand in
Hindoo tiger hunts An amusing example
of the former is given by traveller. A
tiger had been wounded, but although one
| of his hind legs was broken, he made his
way into patch of high grass and hid
there. Guided by the Bheels, the elephant
entered the grass patch, for the purpose OF
| driving out the tiger The cunning ami
NAL allowed the party to pass, and then
| Eprang at one of the Bheels, "a little, hairy,
| bandy-legged man, more like a satyr than
human being" The Bheel dashed to
| the nearest tree, aud owing to the broken
leg of the tiger was able to climb out OF
reach. Finding himself safe, the Bheel
commenced philippe against the father,
mother, sisters, aunts, nieces and children
of his helpless enemy, who sat with glaring
| eye-balls fixed upon his contemplate little
enemy, and roaring as if his heart would
break with rage.
As the excited orator warmed by his
own eloquence, he began skipping from
branch to branch, grinning and chattering
with the emphasis of an enraged baboon,
pouring out a torrent of the most foul
abuse, and attributing to the tigers family
| III general, and his female relatives in par
tlcular, every crime and atrocity that ever
was or ever will be committed.
Occasionally he varied his insults by
roaring in imitation Of the tiger, and at
| last. when fairly exhausted, he leaned for
ward till he appeared to be within the
| grasp of the enraged animal, and ended this
inimitable scene by splitting in his face
Sometimes the tragic element prevails. In
one of these too-numerous instances, a
man-eater, which for six months had been
the terror of the neighhorhood, had been
traced down, and was seen to creep
in ravine. The beaters We're at once or
dered oil, as they could not be of service
and might be charged by the tiger, which
had already Uecn rendered furious by the
wound. Unfortunately these men are in
the habit of Notwithstanding themselves
| with opium before driving the tiger from
his refuge, and one of them, having taken
| too large dose, refused to escape. and
challenged the tiger, daring 1t defantly
In a moment the animal spraug upon him
dashed him to the ground with a blow o
his paw, and turned to bay. After serie.
Of desperate charges he was killed. The
hunters then went to the assistance of the
wounded man, but found that he was past
all aid, the lower part of his face, includ
ing both jaws, having been carried away
as if by cannon ball.
The terrific effect of the single blow in
dicated the power Of the limb which
struck it. Had the blow taken effect ;
few inches higher the whole of the head
would have been carried away. BY 5
similar blow a tiger has been known tc
crush the skull of an OK so completely
that when handled the broken bones fell
as if they were loose in bag. The won
der at this terrible strength dimnishe,
when the limb is measured The tiger
which killed the foolhardy man is by nc
means a large one, measuring nine feet five
| inches from the nose to the tip of the tail
| yet the girth Of the forearm was two feet
seven inches. The corresponding limb OF
a very powerful man scarcely exceeds a
foot in circumference. have not had the
opportunity of dissecting tiger, but
have helped to dissect a lion, which is
possessed Of similar powers, and was struck
| with wonder at the tremendous develop
ment Of the muscles of the forelegs.