West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1890-05-01

aho MS iahgs, anu am frank 10 say that
for moment l was completely done for.
The native flung himself down on his
face without a word, and knew that
neither suggestions nor aid could bo ex-
pected from him.
IL was starlight night, but the small
opening in the wall Of the hut made the
room pretty dark. / could lust make
ont the outlines of the tiger Ne he moved
TO ana FRO, while his eyes were like two
small lanterns. There was no floor in
the hut, the ground being beaten hard
instead, but l could feel sort OF jar as
the tiger moved about. lie made thor
ough inspection of everything in the
front room, and then turned his atten-
ton to me, My revolver was IN NV bag.
gage, and 80 l was entirely destitute of
weapons. had seen the native wearing
n long knife during the day, and called
To him to know il he had IL with him,
lie was crying with fear, and would not
answer mc. l went over 10 him and
found the knife In 4 sheath at his belt.
aud when / had it in my hand my cour
age came back i'm moment. About that
time the tiger had discovered that the
only victims in the cabin wtrr behind
the partition, aud he sounded against n
right opposite me with force that made
everything crack. Left TO himself he
would have Knocked it down in short
order, but | was there TO interfere. |
hacked him with the knife, and from the
way he snarled and spit knew that |
had cut him. He withdrew 20 tho far
end OF tho room, growing mcnacingly,
and could hear him HEX the blood
which tho knife had drawn.
The general situation was far from
pleasant. BY knocking on the rear shut
ter and calling out could make Captain
White understand how matters were. but
on second thought felt that it would bc
to his risk. The tiger might 20 out ut
the opening any moment, and II he en-.
countercd any one outside tragedy was
certain. To alarm the village was TO
bring about the same thing. Even IL /
could get out of the rear window 10y
forcing open the shutter tho tiger had
only TO go out of the other window at the
same time 20 pick me up. I felt that
was pretty fair match for him with the
knife in my hand, and, hoping that he
would give up and leap out of the win
dow after receiving another cut, / de-
cided to wait. / could just make him
out as he lay on the floor near the door,
and was standing close to the partition
when he suddenly uttered roar of anger
and charged. He struck the sliding door
with great smash, and his right fore
paw struck at me through one OF
the openings. hacked at it and gave
him severe cut in the leg. This
time he sent up such dreadful
roar OF pain and rage that half the
village was aroused by the noise. He
drew back and ran along tho partition,
probably hoping to find weak spot,
and three several times he reared up on
his hind legs, seized the bamboos in his
teeth, and shook them as you have seen
dog worry at root when digging at
the hole of some wild animal. Then he
bounded toward the front and sought TO
go out Of the window, but stuck in the
opening, snarling aud growing, and
finally dropped back. He tried this
three times and then gave up. As we
afterward discovered, there was huge
silver on the log at the top OF the open
ing. This pointed inward. As the
tiger crowded his bulk into the opcninp
he pressed this silver up against the log.
When he undertook to 20 out the silver
diminished the size Of the opening and
stuck in his back like dagger. The
uproar he made alarmed Captain White,
and he called out 10 know what was the
matter.
''Thc tiger is in the front room and
cant get outl' ] answered.
"Why don't you shoot him?"
"The guns are in the room with him.
When had fairly explained the situa-
tion he advised that j be on my guard
and ready 10 use the knife, and that il
would not be safe 20 make any new move
until we had daylight to aid us. / did
not know Mt that time that the tiger
could not get out where he came in, or
could have forced the rear shutters and
escaped from the hut The beast skunk
into a corner and lay there for time.
whining and growing. Then he tried
the opening again, and, when he found
himself prisoner, he sat up on end and
howled without fear. believe / could
have then driven him about with a
stick.
As the tiger lost his ferocity the ma
tive with me rcgained his courage, and
by and by he got up and found heavy
stick among the bales OF goods and
stood ready 20 assist me in beating Oft any
new attack. While the entire village
was awake, no one moved ont Of his
house, and all waited for the coming OF
daylight. At intervals Of fifteen minutes
Captain White sang out 20 US 10 know II
we were all right, and about an hour be
fore daylight he warned me that the
beast would no doubt fly into fury with
the first signs Of day. From mid
night 20 2 O'Clock the tiger was
not quiet over five minutes NJ n
time. lie would sit and snarl and
whine and lick his wounded paws for
time, and then go circlIng around the
room and growing in n way 10 make me
SILVER. As he passed along the partition,
rubbing his head against It., his eyes had
a CLINT in them which haunted me for
months afterward
Upon the approach Of daybreak the
man-eater began TO grow more restless
IL was time for him 70 be of to his lair,
but ~ was a prisoner. Just ~ the first
faint light came he tried the window
Il n