Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-22
THE cOLIMA's TRoUBLEsoME TIGER.

twice Loose Aboard Ship and Once on the
Wharf-Msde 1t Lively Every Time.
From the San Francisco Examiner.
To say that matters were lively on the Pacific
mail dock yesterday morning would be to put
it mildly indeed
CONSERVATION ran riot and while the recol-
lection of what happened during the period Of
excitement caused lots Of merriment to those
well out Of the danger belt, there were faces
around tho dock which did not regain their
usual rudy complexion until some hours had
passed and goodly number Of waterfront
toddies had been consumed
The cause of all the trouble was q tiger of
the Central American sort, put aboard the
| steamer Colima at Panama to come to this
port.
The 1.-the animal behaved fairly we'll during
the trip. This is accounted for no doubt by
the fact that it was kept Gagged and one Of the
sailors appointed keeper.
On one occasion the animal got loose, and a.
the passengers and crew on the spur of the
moment forsook the deck puss turned its at
tention to the chicken coops and hog pens.
After filling up on fowl meat and feathers it
had just begun to scratch holes on the back of
loud-squealing 'porker" when the keeper
and a couple OF courageous messmates man.
aged to secure the snarling animal with ropes
and soon had it Gagged again.
As the Colima lay at the dock Tuesday night
the tiger freed itself once more and went meal n
dering in the moonlight The cabin door Of old
John, the ships quartermaster, stood open,
and in the tiger crept
John is the proud possessor Of two green par
rots, which dangle from his cabin ceiling in
two separate cages. One of these, upon seeing
the glaring eyeballs OF the intruder. remarked,
with more assurance than precaution, ''Who
are you! Pretty soon the two cages were on
the floor, and the big tiger from Central
America was juggling with them.
The racket awoke old John. and, noticing the
bedciothes move. the tiger jumped upon the
9uartermaster, and the clawing he got caused
John to shrek for mercy. His howls brough,
the whole ships company on the scene, and
once more was the brute secured and Gagged.
The process of landing the brute yesterday
morning was attended with danger. Two ropes
were fastened to its collar and one man dragged
while the other pushed the tiger down the
steeply inclined gangway to the dock. 1t re-
| sisted strongly until near the bottom, when il
suddenly jumped to the wharf, broke way from
its handlers and started for the crowd which
had gathered. There was a wide scattering or
all sides, and it was Of the survival of the
fittest. A Chinaman with basket of clothe,
on his head. who was knocked down and
trampled upon, seemed inclined to ask "Wha
foY' but when he saw Central America MAKING
for him he jumped to his feet and Joined the
crowd.
The nearest man in the line of danger was
Customs Inspector Shepman. and for him the
tiger sprang. The inspectors gray hairs and
portly form fairly foated along the dock and tc
the top of a pile of rice.
Freight Clerk Green dropped en- alligato,
pear which he was scooping and slid to the docl
Office.
Quartermaster John tried to climb a pile
and the tiger had the dock to himself until the
sailor who had fed HIM on the trip came along
and got hold Of the beast after offering it some.
thing to eat