The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-02-13
KINGS OF THE JUNGLE.

KINGS OF THE JUNGLE.
The idea with almost every person is
that lion or tiger is always bent on at-
tack, and that to meet one is to bring on
an encounter. This is far from being
true. When infuriated by wound OF
pressed by hunger almost any wild beast
is dangerous to man, but there are occa-
sions when the most feroc;ous of them
desire peace at any price.
At Nelur, on the west shore of the
Gulf of Bengal, I went out with party
Of British officers to search for q man
eater who had created great devastation
to the west. He had, indeed, driven
most of the natives out of a section five
miles square, and the number of people
it was said he had eaten was above TWEEN
ty. The tigers lair was in large thicket
which backed against the coast range of
mountains. In the midst of this thicket
was an old ruin, and the beast probably
had his bed there. There were ten of US
in the party, including natives, and we
had begun to beat up the thicket when l
stepped into hole and wrenched my
ankle. That settled me, for the day at
least, and was assisted back to camp,
which was about half mile from the
thicket. A sort Of easy chair was made
for me at the foot of tree, and one of
the natives was left to attend to my
wants. heard the hunters beating up
the game, but the pain took away my in.
terest in the hunt. I had my boot off,
and the man was softly rubbing my ankle
with brandy, when all of a sudden he
fastened his eyes on something behind
me, and his face became terror-strcken.
"What is it-a snake2' whispered.
"No-the tiger" he gasped in reply.
''Is he close at hand2"
"Not fifty feet away, sahib, and look.
ing right at us!"
My gun was ten feet away, and we
were perfectly helpless. Overhead was
safety, out before I could reach my feet
and pull myself up by branch the tiger
would have me.
"Cap you catch the branch over your
head2" asked of the native.
tYes, sahib, but cannot leave you. "
"Save yourself if you can, or we shall
both be knocked over. If you spring
into the tree the tiger may be frightened
off by your action"
The man Strengthened up and made a
spring, and the next instant was safe in
the branches. He was hardly quiet be-
fore heard the tread Of the t ger in the
dry grass few yaros away, and the ma
tive whi pered:
"Say your prayers, sahib; he is here ~
In few seconds the tiger came up. I
was lying at full length, my head con-
siderably higher than my feet, and so l
saw his every move. He looked me full
In the face and uttered a low growl, but
it was not one of anger. I saw that the
beast was full of curiosity and wonder,
and hope sprung up in my heart. He
shifted at my right hand, which lay be-
side me, passed his nose down my in
jured foot, and the fumes of the brandy
seemed 20 delight him. He lay fat
down and began to lick my foot and
ankle. His tongue was hot as fire and
as rough as cows, and WINGED now
and then in spite of my efforts not to.
1t was something new for the man eater,
and he was delighted. He licked away
until I thought he had taken all the skin
off, and then he rolled over and over on
the blanket, as you have seen a cat do
after feeding.
The hunters and beaters had been
quiet all this time, having come together
for counsel, but now they began to shout
and tom-tom, and the noise came down
to US very distinctly. The tiger sat up
and snufed the air and growled. A gun
was fired and he growled again, looked
up at the native in the tree, around the
camp, and down at me, and then delib'
erately walked off into the woods. Next
day he was routed out of his lair by the
beaters, and, without being wounded or
unduly angered, he charged among them
with great ferocity and killed two and
wounded third.
Eighteen months later, in the Bengal
ese district, l went out to a village
called Manday with two officers, to sec
if we could not rid the ne;ghborhood oi
q man eater who had rs bad a reputation
as the other. The beast was so bold
that he entered the village almost
nightly, invariably coming and gong by
q certain route. The nights were bright
moonlight, and when the sun wen,
down We commanded the people to keer
quiet and took up the stations selected
to cover the approach. 1 was the near
est to the huts-indeed, was seated be
side one of the huts which had beer
vacated by its terror.strickcn owner
The next man was $50 feet away, anc
the next 200. We had planned for {
converging fire on one particular, spot
The tiger had always appeared be;
tween . and 10 o'clock. Ten o'clocl
came and we had seen nothing of him
pulled out my watch again, and ha'
lust noted that it was twenty minute
sfter 10 when I heard loud purrinn!
close to my ear, and next instant tn,
man eater was beside me. The shocl
vas so sudden that l almost tainted, ant