The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1889-08-16
SAVED BY A TIGRESS.
The Strange Event That Befen Il
Hindoo Baby.
A nunEry Man-Eater Was About tn he
sour It, But the Tigross Batticd
for II, Though at the Cost
of Her own Life.

II was In the spring OF 1875 that !
obtained leave Of absence from my
regiment, then quartcrcd in Bombay,
intending TO pay visit 10 AN old friend
named George Baker, then in charge
Of some irrigation works at Nursing
poor. on the Nerbudda' river. This
district had achieved quite n reputa-
tion as being center for big game,
and thinking | might have some sport,
took along two heavy rifles.
On my arrival at my friends bunga-
low he informed me that the village
had been lately much pcstered by the
presence OF tiger, and that the na-
tives had been compelled TO corral
their oxen at night to prevent them
being carried OIL. From the size and
fcrocity OF the animal. IL was popularity
supposed TO be a mau-catcr, especially
rs he had made his first appearance
with the new moon, "A fact which in the
eyes of ,he superstitious natives set
tied it,.
Baker proposed that we organize "A
tiger hunt. ald thus while we honOred
the occasion OF my arrival at Nursing
poor in "A fitting manner, we could also
rid the village OF this man-eatcr.
There was some little delay in get
ting the expedition organized, instruct
ing the bcatcrs in their duties and In
getting up from the peighboriug viii
lnge OF Sohagpoor IA large elephant,
from the back OF which Baker and |
proposed TO see the fun and do the
shooting.
1t was eleven o'clock In the morning,
when, from the howdah Of the elephant,
i beheld spread out before me the long
line OF beaters, and watched them, a.
I'm "A half circle they silently entered
the jungle. We approached with the
elephant. which was trained and very
intelligent animal, TO within u short
distance Of the jungle, and waited
patiently in the shade OF heavy tree
for the boatcrs 20 drive the game in
our direction.
Ii was while we were thus waiting
sight which. simple in itself, presented
about as pretty picture as any one
might care 10 look upon. An Indian
woman, in beauty OF form rivaling the
statuesque grace Of Greek goddess, IA
poem chiseled in du.ky brown, the
polish OF her skin showing like colored
marble in the strong sunlight, was
crossing the intervening space between
the village and forest. by her side tod
died little infant OF about two years
OF age, laughing rs ne stretched forth
his tiny hands toward the green fOli-
age, beneath the cool shade Of which
his mother intended 20 place him for
his monday sleep while she sat close
by and watched her darling.
My attention was momcntarily dis.
tractcd from this pretty sight by some
thing Baker was saying, and then inn
mcdiatcly after there rang out upon
the startled air succession Of the
most piercing shricks. Looking up,
] saw the liindOo woman wriuging her
hands in despair, aud gazing in the
direction Of the Jungle. In another
moment she came running up 20 us,
exclaiming In HindOsiancc:
90, sahib sahib' the man-eater has
stolen my child. Look where he goes"
Following the direction Of her finger,
] could mark the waving Of the thick
uuderbrush. through which the great
beast. having seized hi- prey, was
bounding with giant strides IN the
direction OF the mountains Of Bhopal
] raised my rife as saw his striped
body undulating through the tall
growth. but the distance vas too great
and his movements too rapid Tor the
bullet 10 have any other effect than Of
acce.eraung his progress.
%. sahib. great sahib. mOaned the
unhappy mother, "save my child"
Whilst We felt morally certain tha,
pursuit was useless. and that already,
crushed in the powerful jaws II the
man-eater. the little boy must have
ceased % live. still the ag0uized ap-
peals Of the mother we're more than
Baker and could stand.
Telling the mahOut % urge The Gle.
phant forward in .he direction that The
tiger bad taken. stopped down and
lifted the woman into the hOHdah
ai0ng..ds ~ u.. She was not more than
fifteen yelrs old (women ars frequently
mother at tNelvc in IndiaD. ans her
agony az the loss ~ her Grst-b0ru Was
dreadful 20 witness. She ceased ~
vn.n- and 80 With look Of aulIl eK-