The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1889-10-17
SAVED BY A TIGRESS.
The Strange Event That Befen a
Hindoo Baby.
a Hungry Man-Eater Was About to De-
Vour 1t, But the Tigress Battled
for 1t, Though at the Cost
of Her Own Life.

It was in the spring of 1875 that I
obtained leave of absence from my
regiment, then quartered in Bombay,
intending to pay visit to 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 a reputa-
ton as being center for big game,
and thinking l might have some sport,
Itook along two heavy rifles.
On my arrival at my friends bunga-
low he informed me that the village
had been lately much pestered by the
presence of a tiger, and that the ma
tives had been compelled to corral
their oxen at night to prevent them
being carried of. From the size and
ferocity of the animal. it was popularity
supposed to be man-eater, especially
as he had made his first appearance
with the new moon, fact which in the
eyes of the superstitious natives set
tied it.
Baker proposed that we organize a
tiger hunt and thus while we honored
the occasion Of my arrival at Nursing
poor in fitting manner, we could also
rid the village of this man-eater.
There was some little delay in get
ting the expedition organized, instruct
ing the beaters in their duties and in
getting up from the neighboring viii
lage of Sohagpoor a large elephant,
from the back of which Baker and
proposed to see the fun and do the
shooting.
It was eleven o'clock in the morning,
when, from the howdah of the elephant,
! beheld spread out before me the long
line OF beaters, and watched them, as
IN half circle they silently entered
the jungle. We approached with the
elephant, which was trained and very
intelligent animal, to within a short
distance of the Jungle, and waited
patiently in the shade of a heavy tree
ior the beaters to drive the game in
our direction.
1t was while we were thus waiting
that my attention was attracted by a
sight which. simple in itself, presented
about as pretty picture as any one
might care to look upon. An Indian
woman, in beauty of form rivaling the
statuesque grace of Greek goddess, a
poem chiseled in dusky brown, the
polish OF her skin showing like colored
marble in the strong sunlight, was
crossing the intervening space between
me village and forest. BY her side tod
dled little infant of about two years
q age, laughing as he stretched forth
ms tiny hands toward the green foli-
age beneath the cool shade of which
nis mother intended to place him for
ms monday sleep while she sat close
0y and watched her darling.
NY attention was momentarily dis
stacted from this pretty sight by some
wing Baker was saying, and then i'm
medlately after there rang out upon
sne startled air a succession of the
most piercing shrieks. Looking up,
! saw the Hindoo woman wringing her
hands in despair, and gazing in the
direction of the jungle. In another
moment she came running up to us,
eSclalming in Hindostanee:
Y. sahib, sahib! the man-eater has
seolen my child. Look where he goesr'
Following the direction of her finger.
could mark the waving of the thick
eaderbrush, through which the great
0sast. having seized his prey, was
bounding with giant strides in the
direction of the mountains of Bhopal.
raised my rifle as saw his striped
0Ooy undulating through the tall
groWth, but the distance was too great
sna MS movements too rapid for the
salle' 70 have any other effect than of
atlng his progress.
= sahib, great sahib, F" moaned the
asppy mother, 'save my childp'
"aiise we felt morally certain that
eSaas was useless, and that already,