Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1890-01-29

Knows unar you seek his NE. It Will now De
between you three, and you must look out or
he will get the better Of you"
Nothing further was heard from the beast
that night, and next day we sent the people
off to the fields again. After dinner we got
a suit of clothes, and stuffed them with grass
to represent human fgure-a man. We
placed it in a kneeling position at the creek,
with gourd in hand, as if dipping up water,
and at o'clock all the people came in, and
we took our stations in a tree which com.
manded the crossing.
Ii the tiger appeared at the usual spot we
had him at short range. We watched until
the afternoon faded into darkness, but he did
not appear. If he saw the figure at all he
scented the trick. Then we fastened goat
to the tree, and took possession Of a cabin
hundred feet away. From a window looking
out to the north we had q fine show to drop
the tiger if he appeared. But he did not ap-
pear. While all the village slept we stood
watch, rifles on the cock; but, though the
goat kept up a continual bleating for hours,
she drew no other audience than few jack
ais and hyenas. Next morning the head man
said to us:
'As the woman was very fat she would last
the tiger for an extra meal or two. He would
not have touched the goat anyhow, but to-
night he viii come into the village in search
Of victim. You must plan accordingly"
In the afternoon we had one of the families
vacate their hut and brought up the dummy
and laid it in the sleeping corner. We then
took possession of the next cabin, only about
thirty feet away, and cut two openings in the
wall to command the door of the first. The
people went to their work as usual and re-
turned at the usual time, and everybody was
inside before the sun went down. What we
hoped for was that the tiger would prowl
through the village, trying each opening to
effect an entrance, and we had left this door
so that he could open it. We did not look for
him before 9 o'clock, and were taking things
easy at about when we heard an uproar at
the other end of the village We two ran
out, but were too late. The tiger had ap-
peared, burst in door by finging his weight
against it, and had seized and carried off
boy about years old The villagers were
frantic with grief when they learned of the
fact, and the bead man said to US, while the
tears ran down his cheeks:
"Ah, sahibs, but we may as well abandon
our homes tomorrow. This is wise and
cunning tiger. and you can do nothing with
him. If we do not go away, he will eat US
up"
We quoted the people as best we could
and next day went about in person to make
every hut secure Every window opening
was barred, and every door provided with
prop. 1t was characteristic of the simple
minded natives that, while they lived in
mortal dread, more than half the huts were
SO badly secured that the tiger could have
aDtnr IL had m h.
tiger to get hungry. AS the crops
could now take care of themselves for few
days, We ordered that the villagers keep
quiet and show themselves as little as posi-
bic, and two nights and days were thus worn
away. On the afternoon Of the third day W.
killed goat and dragged its bleeding body
from the creek to the door Of the hat where
in we had placed the dummy, and at twilight
the village was as quiet as graveyard
The majo and I stood at openings about
five feet apart, and at 10 O'Clock we had 60,
no alarm. He came over TO me TO say tina,
be was dying for smoke, and 70 ask if
deemed it advisable to light cigar, when
heard a pat pat pat, outside, and cautioned
him that the tiger was abroad The Gun
ming beast had not come by the trail we bad
prepared, but had made circuit and struck
As We afterward ascertained, ne had been
providing around for en hour, softly trying
every door in succession Our openings were
on the south side. The cunning beast seemesi
10 be posted as 70 this fact and fingered on
tbs north side. We plainly heard him push
at our door and rear up and claw the bars q
the window, and we hardly breatbed for fear
OF frightening him away. There was a
crsvIce under tie door through which
one could have showed bis hand. and ibe
tiger got down and sniEei and snuffsd
al this opening for fully i've min
utes- Then hs got up and remained very
quiet Re must have had t1e scent o. tLs
fresh blood only two rods away, but il wGs
plain that be had his suspicious We stood
al the openings, each one with bis gun tnr2si
out and ready 70 fire, wren tee beast SAD
doaiy made up his mind to act VITA ons
hound be emerged from she.ter and covered
half the distance TO tie osner cabin. ~ .1s
second ne wsn, bang against tse soor. pushed
u u, aos vas hidden from cur sight before
We lad nsc saoE 10 pun trigger
'Ia<e h!n wheu &c CONES cas.7 raiSpe-si
the E4sgor, ard bo:a 9; Us ~arcnsi sz5
waited
The beagt no dozst expected 70 Snd vic
TN IL the but. Es seized TIE dummy, gHs.
II . s1s&s. add ire discovery le mace oroxs
him al up Instead o. coming CT. Wiz
oocad be s11gss 70 pay xs-2k and .as 1ass