The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1889-10-12

The mahout, a trained and skilled
hunter, experienced no difficulty in
following the trail Soon it left the
deeply wooded country, and assembled
the slope of the foothills, which from
the sandy character of the soil were
denuded of all vegetation. save for a
few sparse shrubs clinging in the shade
of the rocks scattered here and there
on the surface of the slope.
After an hours hard running on this
ground, into the treacherous soil OF
which the heavy footsteps OF the ele-
plant sunk deeply. and where it re-
quired the frequent application of the
gOad to compel the winded animal to
maintain the tremendous pace at which
we were going, we came to long, low
ridge, at the top of which were few
stunted trees. We were about to
emerge from these, when the mahout
brought the elephant by single word
to a sudden halt, and leaning forward
pointed to continuation of the slope
in front of us.
At the foot of a rocky encampment
the tiger had just come to halt, and
standing as he was sideways from us,
facing up the hill, not two hundred
yards away. his every motion was
clearly to be seen. His head was
raised and his eyes were fixed on the
mouth of cave distinctly visible in
the face of the cliff.
In his mouth was the body of the
child, gripped in his iron jaws by the
waist cloth, insensible, if not dead.
At any rate it showed not the slightest
sign of life. Twice raised my rifle
to my shoulder. and twice forebore to
fire. as at the slightest noise the man
eater might resume his flight, and with
that would vanish all hope of saving
the child's life if he yet breathed.
1t was while we thus gazed upon the
scene that with low, purring sound,
a beautifully spotted female tigress is
sued from the mouth of the cave and
her aspect, unlike that of her ferocious
mate, was singularly gentle-even
mournful.
What struck me as most peculiar at
this juncture of affairs, however, was
the conduct of our guide. He had no
sooner set eyes on this second animal
than his dusky face became of an ashen
color and he trembled violently.
"My God." he said. They are the
man-eaters of Bhopal. We killed the
cubs the week before last. The old
ones are supposed to have gone mad.
If they detect our presence they will
undoubtedly attack u.s."
Whilst 1 knew that Rachottee, the
driver. was only yielding to his super
stitious fears, and that the danger of
two tigers successfully coping with two
determined men, both good shots,
mounted on an elephant, was more
imaginary than real, yet the words of
the mahout sent strange thrill through
me. despite myself. They must be the
same beasts whom Baker had lately
told me about, who when the cubs were
killed had charged upon the heaters
again and again, horribly mangling
several of their number and finally es-
Gaping into the mountains, only slightly
wounded.
Although generally accounted a
brave man, / must confess to feeling
of considerable trepidation as gazed
upon the gigantic proportions and fero-
cious aspect of these animals and knew
that at any moment we might be en-
gagged in life or death conflict with
them.
But up to this time they appeared to
be totally unconscious of our presence.
We deemed it best not to shoot but to
await developments.
Presently the man-eater. despite the
ominous growls of his partner. laid the
body of the child upon the ground and
placing his paws upon it was about to
attack it with his huge teeth. The I'M
fortunate woman by my side, unable
to bear the sight. covered her face in
her hands. Her low means were pitiful
to hear. Suddenly, before the man.
eater could bury his huge fangs in the
tender flesh, the tigress, with roar
like thunder, sprang upon her lord,
and in another moment the huge beasts
were at it tooth and nail. 1 have
sat In the amphitheater at Madrid
and seen the baited bull mad
dened with rage, dash down upon
his tormentors; l have seen the wild
boar Of Hungary, brought to bay, turn
savagely upon his foe; have seen the
passions of anger and hatred depicted
in many forms and in many chimes; but
never have witnessed any thing to
equal the dreadful aspect OF those two
gigantic animals as they tore and bit
each other in the fiercest strife; fight
ing for the possession of the body Of
that child. Now one. now the other