The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-06-27

dry for The want OF moisture, I quietly
aroused my companion and told him to
watch while refreshed myself I was
behind the partition drinking from the
jk when the native uttered low cry OF
alarm and bounded in upon me and shut
down the door. had the jar yet in my
hand when heavy body dropped to the
floor and heard the snarl and saw the
form of a tiger in the hut This was
what had happened: The tiger had ap-
preached the house from the opposite
direction, and, creeping softly around,
had sprung for the opening and into
the natives face. In his alarm the
man had started back and dropped his
gun, while mine was leaning against
the door. He had shut the partition
door, however, and that saved us. There
we were, face to face with fuil-grOwn
man-eater with only bamboo partition
between us and his fangs, and l am
frank to say that for a moment was
completely done for. The native flung
himself down on his face without a
word, and / knew that neither suggeS-
lions nor aid could be expected from
him.
1t was starlight night, but the small
opening in the wall of the hut made the
room pretty dark. 1 could just make
out the outlines of the tiger as he moved
to and fro, while his eyes were like two
small lanterns. There was no floor in
the hut the ground being beaten hard
instead, but 1 could feel sort of jar as
the tiger moved about. He made a
thorough inspection of every thing in
the front room, and then turned his at
tention to me. My revolver was in my
baggage, and so was entirely destitute
of weapons. / had seen the native wear
ing long knife during the day, and
called to him to know if he had it with
him. He was crying with fear, and
would not answer ME. l went over to
him and found the knife in a sheath at
his belt, and when had IL In my hand
nay courage came back in q moment.
About that time the Tiger had discov-
cred that the only victims in the cabin
were behind the partition, and he found
ed against it right opposite me with a
force that made every thing 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 1 had cut him. He withdrew
to the far end of the room, growing
menacingly, and I could hear him lick
the blood which the knife had drawn.
The general situation was far from
pleasant By knocking on the rear
shutter and calling out could make
Captain White understand how matters
were. but on second thought felt that
it would be to his risk. The tiger might
go out at the opening any moment, and
if he encountered any one outside a
tragedy was certain. To alarm the vii
lage was to bring about the same thing
Even if [ could get out of the rear win
dow by forcing open the shutter the tiger
had only to go out of the other window
at the same time to pick ME up. felt
that was a pretty fair match for him
with the knife in my hand. and hoping
that he would give up and leap out of
the window after receiving another cut
decided to wait. 1 could just make
him out as he lay on the floor near the
door, and l was standing close to the
partition when he suddenly uttered a
roar of anger and charged. He struck
the sliding door with great smash,
and his right forepaw struck at me
through one of the openings I hacked al
it and gave him a severe cut in the leg.
This time he set up such dreadful
roar of pain and rage that half the vii
lage was aroused by the noise. He
drew back and ran along the 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 and 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
opening. This pointed inward. AS the
tiger crowded his bulk into the opening
he pressed this silver up against the
log. When he undertook to 60 out the
silver diminished the size of the open.
ing and stuck in his back like dagger.
The uproar he made alarmed Captain
White, and he called out to know wha,
was the matter.
''The tiger is in the front room and
can't get out!" answered.
"Why don't you shoot him?'
The guns are in the room with him.
When had fairly explained the stu.
alton he advised that be on my guard
and ready to use the knife, and that il
would not be safe to make any new
move until we had daylight to aid us.
did not know at 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 SUNK
into a corner and lay there for tim.
whining and growing. Then he trie
the opening again, and when he found
himself prisoner, he sat up on end
and howled with fear. 1 believe I could
have then driven him about with q
stick.
AS the tiger lost his ferocity the ma.
i've with me regained his courage, and
by and by he got up and found heavy
stick among the bales ofgoods and stood
ready to assist me in beating off any
new attack. While the entire village
was awake, no one moved out of his
house, and all waited for the coming
" oayilght At intervals of fif
Teen minutes Captain White sang
OUT TO US to know if we were all right,