Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1890-01-10
HUNTING THE MAING-HO
An Exciting Adventure In the.
Wilds of Corea.
A Fierce Beast as Much at Homo Among
SnowDrifts as In Tropical Jungies
Tho Yankee Milt-Owner's
Story.

To many readers 1t will be a sur
prise to learn that the Asiatic tiger
often known as the royal Bengal tiger,
and usually regarded as belonging
wholly to the torrid regions in which
lie the East Indian jungles-is found
also in the northeastern portions OF
China and Corea.
In fact, the largest, fiercest tigers in
the world are found among the mount
aims of that wild region which lies
along the western coast OF the sea of
Japan, in the parallels of latitude
which include Pennsylvania and New
York. and IN which the climate, at
certain times of the year, Is very cold.
The province of Ham Kieng, in the
north OF Corea. abounds in large for
ests OF pine and cypress, interpreted
with trees which resemble the syca-
more and elm. In this region an
American named Cloudman, in the
employ OF a company of Japanese
lumbe merchants, had built saw
mill on a small river which flows into
the bay where their junks were loaded.
Near the river stood an old. abandoned
Buddhist temple. The roof of the old
stone temple had not fallen, and
bronze bell still hung in the cupola. AS
the site was favorable, and the struct-
ure was dry and commodious, Cloud
man occupied it as ba"rack for him
self and his laborers, and used the
Buddhist bell to arouse his workmen
in the morning. and to summon them
to their meals.
With him was a man-of-war's man
named Barrows, who had deserted at
Yokohama from British ship several
years before. The Japanese have a
high opinion of English fighting
qualities, and Barrows was employed
by the lumber merchants to watch and
guard their property at this place.
The force of laborers consisted of
eighteen or twenty Corean and jap
anese laborers.
Cloudman and his party had thrill
ing and tragic experience with Cor
can tiger, which he thus relates:
''In the latter part of October the
weather became very cold, with high
winds, snow-squalls and frosty nights
BY the middle OF November the mill
pond was covered with ice two inches
thick, and there was considerable
snow on the ground.
1.-The cd stone joss-house now stood
us in good stead. built fire. place
in one corner of the idol-room, and as
fuel was plenty. Barrows and l had
quite CHEEKY quarters. The Corean
da4-hooS, or choppers. camped in a
part of the old temple which opened
upon a porch. and, as the two crews
were apt to scold and quarrel when
brought together, | put the Japanese
mill-men into an apartment in which
the priests formerly held their private
, devotions.
Il heard a great deal about tigers
, all that season; the Coreans, among
| whom were two SGp-cbeng, or trained
native hunters, were constantly talk
ing of these beasts and telling stories
OF flights and escapes from them, but
we saw no tigers during the summer
and autumn, aud had no fear thai
they would give us trouble.
But on the night OF December 10
| little before five o'clock, as the bel
0 was about to ring 10 call the chopper:
n down from the mountain side heart
a great cutlery in the woods, and soor
d the men appeared. running TOWARD
0 the joss-hOuse in a state of great
= alarm.
From their cries of 'Matng no
l. and 'Sdn-totr conjectured that they
had seen tiger, but could scarcely
/. believe their assertions that one o
II their number had been seized ant
> dragged away till had counted then
and found that We were, indeed, a MAJ
short Even then | was inclined t,
think that the fellow might be some
n where in the rear; for it was one o
the San-chsng, or professional tigc
? hunters, who was missing 1t was al
i ready dark, bnt l summoned Bar
. rows from the mill, and, arming our
selves, we went up the valley to tn,
side OF the mountain where the dab
a hoWS had been at work We tool
= lanterns along, and were accompanied
I ny eight or ten of the millmep
r equipped with hand-spikes and axes.
Il After u short search the blood
stained trail of the man-eater was dis
covered The tracks showed tha
q after seizing the luckless Coreau the
e Snimal had bounded away with Ions
:: leaps though the snow, carrying it
8 victim without difficulty. The nigh
:. was dark and cloudy, with indication.
|. that it would snow and blow befor,
= morning. We followed the trail To-
about half mile, when the prospec
= of rescuing the poor man, or of over
taking the creature at all. became 3,
evidently hopeless that took the me,
= back to their quarters.
s The next morning four or fv,
Inches of snow had fallen, and tn