Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1890-10-15
My First Tiger.


My First Tiger.
We, that is the Major, Doctor aud
myself, had ben pnttering about the
outskirts or the Terai for some days,
hoping 10 get news of n tiger, We
mad just pitched our camp when cur
,hikarri, Ali by name, came hur-
riedly to our tent, saying that the
head mau of II ueighboring village
wished to speak with us. With
him were some of the villagers,
who came as deputatlou, praying
us to rid them of tiger that was
playing sad havoc with their cattle
The proposition was jumped at, and
with Ali and two of his assistants /
returned to the village with the
head man. a wretched specimen
ola bullock was bought for few
rupees and was led out into the
jungle A good SPOT was found in
an open space that at some time oI
another had been cleared for eulti-
vation, A dead tree stood conven-
| ieutiy near the dense forest, and t,
| Ihis the bullock was tied, and We
left the poor brute to his fate, while
| two men climbed into tree to watch.
Dinner was ready by the time
returned to camp, and the Major
told us of some of his previous ex.
perieaces with tigers. The Doctor
had been on many a tiger hunt but
had never yet bagged one of the
royal quarry. The fact of the mat
| ter was he was mad on ornitholugy
and he confessed that OH more than
one occasion he had been watching
some rare specimen of the feather
tribe, and lost the golden opportu'
nifty for - good shot.
We turned in early and soon the
camp WAS hushed in silence, but
the forest WAS alive with animal and
insect life. Thousands of stridulat-
ing cicada seemed to make the very
air vibratc, while here and there
among the bushes the firetlies
flashed to aud fro. Above all the
insect chorus, however, could lie
heard the howl of the hycna or the
bark OF the prowlng jackall,
Daylight s.Iw u astir, and with 1t
came the welcome news that the
tiger had killed our bait during the
night. Chautahazri, consisting OF
coffee and eggs, was soun dispose ed
of, and We climbed into the howdah,
strapped To our solitary elephant,
anu started Tor the village. Here all
was excitement when we arrived
The headman had already mustered
all available hands for beaters.
Tom toms, tin cans aud short cud-
gels formed their armament, and it
was a motley crew that marched out
of the village that morning.
AS we walked silently along the
jungle path, for we had left the ele-
phuul al the edge of the forest, get
ting more ami more wet every step
from the dewdrops we shook from
the tall grass or overhaugiDg boughs,
the whole line WAS suddenly brought
to q stand-still.
In front WAS the village skiharri,
then followed the doctor. The lat
ter was the cause OF the hat. As
the major and myself pushed to the
front, we saw him cautiously point
ing to tree above him with one
hand, while the other WAS stretched
out for his shOt gun.
"What the deuce is 2" asked the
major.
"Don't you see it?' answered the
doctor, excitedly. where's that
fool with my gun?"
"Do you mean that Internal little
bird? ?" questioned the major.
"My dear major. that's one Of the
rarest fnches. Where's my gun? ?"
continued the doctor in Hindo-
stance.
For the moment we were speech
less, but the sight Of the half
frightened servant coming up with
the gun loosened at least the ma
jor's tongue. He seized the gun
himself aud turning To the Doctor.
"Do you mean to say you are think
ing of shooting that bird?"
"Of course am" answered the
Doctor.
"And give the tiger notice of our
A? Pve u hanged good mind
to shoot you firsi," angriIy retorted
the Major. \
"By Jove! ! forgot all about the
tiger"
There was no doubt he had.
Az We entered the open space,
signs were not wanting that the
bull0ck had been killed, for sitting
On the boughs of trees were vul.
lures, while others were circlinG
above In the air. AS We came In
light of the carcass two jackals were
49,, v.,nnin, for tI,a ahalta.r NJ the