Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-10-26
THE TIGER MAN.

Whom at Bombay in 1869, making prepare
lions to go up the country and ill an order
for six tigers for Amsterdam, a very singular
parsonage crossed my path | had been in
India for two years as the agent of the great
German animal house and had sub-agents 10
a dozen districts. We were constantly for
warding serpents, jackalls. hyenas, wolves,
buffaloes, tigers, and such curiosities as fell
into our traps. and now and then received
an extra order. The order for "six
wild, full grown tigers, males preferred
came from Egypt Messages we're sent
to sub-agents, and got ready for trip to
the northeast, among the tiger jungles One
afternoon stranger was announced under
the name Of Oval He was tall. stiff
appearing figure. moving with all the dig
nifty Of a prince but his face was SO horribly
dishgured that | couldn't repress a start Of
surprise. He had been born with a single
eye, and that almost In the center Of his
face His nose was like that of a dog, and
his mouth was wide, almost without lips, and
full Of fangs He was more Of freak than
Jo-Jo, the dog-faced, and would have been
great card in a museum He expected TO see
me start with surprise, and he expected me
70 look at him with surprise He gave me
plenty Of time, and then, bowling very low,
be said:
Il am told the sahib is hunter Of beasts
'Yes.n
lyon capture them aliver
"Yesn
Il should like TO 60 with you. / am
called the Tiger Man. am not afraid Of
any Wild beast. No animal dares attack men
He informed me that he had come from
village called Johpur, on the Gadavery river,
700 miles away, and that scores of people
would youch for the truth Of his statements.
Twice within the year | had heard of this
man and his wonderful doings, but had put
no faith IN the stories That he possessed
wonderful magnetism over the animal crea-
zion he soon gave me proofs The next bunga-
low on the right was occupied by Capt
Richard Taylor, of the Fifty-i first Native in.
fantry. He had a savage dog chained up In
the rear Of the house The brute was dan
gerous, and had not b4sn free from his chain
for two months The servants had to throw
him his food, and even the captain dared not
go within reach
you are a tiger man You are not afraid
Of savage dogp queried as he finished a
statement Of his wonderful powers
Lead me to the beast" he CURLY replied
The captain was at home, and went over
and told him of the natives presence. Then
we called the man over and after the cap
iain had satisfied his curiosity he said to
him:
you may be brave man, but do not ex-
bose yourself My dog viii kill you IL you
% near him shall have him shot this
week"
Your dog will cover and whine" soberly
nswered Oval
We'll, the risks be on your own head"
We passed around the bungalow and /
trough gate, and the dog, who was about
lfty feet away, at once sprang up and tug |
sed savagely at his chain. There could be |
10 doubt Of bis savage fury. His eyes blazed,
ie frothed at the mouth, and his efforts to
freak the stout chain filed me with alarm
he native waited a minute before showing |
imself As soon as he stepped in front Of /
. there was change in the dogs demeanor.
indeed, he seemed TO dodge, as il a missile |
ad pissed close TO his ear. The native slowly |
approached, and before he was within ten |
eet of him the dog was down on bis belly
md uttering whines for mercy Oval IN
astened the collar on his neck, spoke three
,r four words in low voice and then walked
about, and the dog followed at his heel. Such
4 change from savage fury to utter servility
was astounding It was plain that the dog
was cowed and afraid and that Oval had
wonderful powers He approached as and
as he came close up the dog never raised his
eyes to give us a look. He kept his eyes on
the ground and we could see that he was in
a tremble Of fear.
rs the sahib satisfedF' quietly asked
Oval at the end Of ten minutes
yes
He readjusted the collar, and the dog skunk
into his box, so cowed and overcome that a
child might have used a whip on him While
this adventure with the dog did not prove
that Oval would have equal success with
wild beasts, saw that he was a valuable man
for our party, and at once engaged him. He
stated that the district from which he came
was infested with many large serpents and
wild beasts, and his suggestions as TO our pro
ceedings were very businesslike and valuable
Besides the six Of us regularly engaged in the
traffic, Mai. Lawrence, OF the Eighth Light
cavalry; Col Shaw, OF the Nineteenth regi-
ment, and Capt Smith, commanding bat
terry attached to the Eleventh native regi-
ment, were allowed 10 accompany us they
having permits of absence and desiring to 70
on hunt. We occupied twelve days on the
journey, which were without startling Incl
dent, and one afternoon arrived In good
shape at the village Of Johpur. Without a
hint to me, and in some manner vet unknown
the Tiger Man had sent word on ahead, and
the first thing we saw on entering the village
were six stout cages, which the natives had
constructed TO hold the six tigers we had
come for. II was a case OF providing the
cage before the bird was caught, and it set
lied my belief that Oval was what be claimed
10 be-
We received warm welcome at the vii
lage, and after a little the head man told me
further about the Tiger Man He had been
found in the forest when only a couple OF
weeks old, and had ever since been regarded
as only half human. He possessed strange
power over wild or domestic animals. and
had several times compelled man eating
tigers 70 follow him into and about the vii.
lage like a dog. When asked why he had
not used this power to clear the district Of it,
many dangerous pests, he explained that
Oval, when thus magnetizing a beast, wa.
deprived OF his physical strength to such al
extent that he could do them no injury. THAI
evening just at shutdown we had a fair ex
ample of his wonderful powers One Of tn,
largest and fiercest hyenas | had ever seer
suddenly appeared on the edge of the thicket
about 800 feet away, and stood an,
gazcd at US, anda bristled up with anger
Oval was called for, and he started fo
the beast at an ordinary gait At FIRST tn
beast acted as If it meant to attack him
Then it showed signs Of running away
Then, as he drew nearer, it crawled upon il
belly and began 70 whine, and we saw that
was terrified. The man uttered some word
we did not catch and started 10 return. an
hyena crept at his heels, tan dral