Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-10-17
HUNTING THE MAING-HO.
An Exciting Adventure in the
Wilds of Corea.
A Fierce Beast as Much at Home Among
Snow-Drifts as in Tropical JunS'es
The Yankee h,ilIOwner's
Story.

To many readers it will be a sur
prise to learn that the Asiatic tiger
often known as the royal Bengal tiger,
and usually regarded as belonging
wholly to the torrid regions in which
lie the East Indian jungles-is found
also in the northeastern portions OF
China and Corea.
In fact, the largest, fiercest tigers in
the world are found among the mount
aims of that wild region which lies
along the western coast OF the sea OF
Japan, in the parallels OF latitude
which include Pennsylvania and New
York, and IN which the climate. at
certain times of the year, is very cold.
The province of Ham Kieng, in the
north of Corea. abounds in large for
ests of pine and cypress. interspersed
with trees which resemble the syca-
more and elm. In this region an
American named Cloudman. in the
employ of company OF Japanese
lumber merchants, had built a saw
mill on a small river which flows into
the bay where their jupks were loaded.
Near the river stood an old. abandoned
Buddhist temple. The roof of the old
stone temple had not fallen, and a
bronze bell still hung in the cupola. As
the site was favorable, and the struct-
ure was dry and commodious, Cloud
man occupied it as bdrrack for him
self and his laborers. and used the
Buddhist bell to arouse his workmen
in the morning, and to summon them
to their meals.
With him was man-of-war's man
named Barrows, who had deserted at
Yokohama from British ship several
years before. The japanese have a
high opinion of English fighting
qualities, and Barrows was employed
by the lumber merchants to watch and
guard their property at this place.
The force OF laborerS consisted oil
eighteen or twent1 Corean and Jap
anese laborers.
Cloudman and his party had a thrill
ing and tragic experience with Cor
can tiger. which he thus relates:
I'm the latter part of October the
weather became very cold. with high
winds. snow-squalls and frosty nights.
BY the middle of November the mill
pond was covered with ice two inches
thick, and there was considerable
snow on the ground.
The old stone ioss-house now stood
us in good stead. | built a Fireplace
in one corner of the idol-room, and. "a
fuel was plenty. Barrows and l hat
quite CHEEKY quarters. The Corear
daF-hows. or choppers, camped in {
part of the old temple which opened
upon porch, and, as the two crew:
were apt to scoid and quarrel whel
brought together, l put the japanese
mill-men into an apartment in which
the priests formerly held their privat,
deyotions.
Il heard great deal about tiger
all that season; the Coreans, anon:
whom were two saa-cheng. or traine'
native hunters. were constantly talk
ing of these beasts and telling storie
of flights and escapes from them, bu
we saw no tigers during the summe
and autumn, and l had no fear tina
they would give us trouble.
but on the night of December Is
a little before five o'clock, as the bel
was about to ring to call the chopper
~, .air sila / hon,
q great outcry in the woods, and 500
the men appeared, running towar,
the joss-houSe in a state OF grea
alarm.
From their cries of .Masng-ho
and .SGE-tGlh ! conjectured that the
had seen tiger. but could scarcel
believe their assertions that one G
their number had been seized an
dragged away till had counted ther
and found that we were, indeed, ma
short Even then l was inclined t
think that the fellow might be some
where in the rear; for it was one {
the San-cheag, or professional tige
hunters, who was missing. 1t was o.
ready dark. bnt l summoned Bal
rows from the mill, and, armiug Oul
selves, we went up the valley 20 tn
side OF the mountain where tue dal
hours had been at work. We too
lanterns along, and were accompanie
by eight or ten OF the millmel
equipped with hand-spikes and axes.
latter a short search the bloc,
stained trail of the mau-eater was di
covered, The tracks showed tn