The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-03
SURROUNDED BY TIGERS.
The Fearful Predicament Of An
Army Officer in An Indian
Jungle.
PGralyzed With Fear, Three Man
Eaters Crouohed to Spring
Upon Him.
All Hope Gone, a short Prayer Uttered
Timely Arrival OF II Party of
Kescuers.

"Tell you the most exciting adventure Of
formerly of her maiesty's army in the India
service, but now a resident of Birmingham,
Ala. well, ! met with quite a number OF
more or less thrilling adventures hunting
ions and tigers in the jungles, but only
once did / lose all hope. I shall never for
get that hunt; in fact, / shudder every time
think OF it. Two other officers, English
visitors in India. and myself, went into the
interior for n tiger hunt. We camped near
a largo jungle, where tigers we're reported
by the natives to be plentiful. We had
three servants with us, and in addition
employed a dozen natives, several of whom
had much experience in tiger hunting. The
first day in the jungle We killed a young
tiger. and then we hunted four days without
catching sight of another.
1--WE would spend a day beating through
the jungle N return to our camp at night.
There WAS plenty of smaller game, but we
were out for tiger or nothing. The sixth
day ont we went into n portion of the jun
gle where it was not SO dense and we could
make our way on horseback very we'll. We
kept pretty we'll together until noon, but
found no game. Az noon We stopped to eat
n cold lunch. and, us it was extremely hot,
the others of the party decided to rest for
two hours before they proceeded. While
the otheis were resting l MOUNTED my horse
and rode alone towards a small stream a
short distance to the right of our camp"
says q correspondent of the st. Louis Globe
Democrat. "Along the bank of the stream
the jungle was SO dense that my horse could
not get through.
II turned to go back to camp, but had
advanced only n few steps when my horse
stopped still with a loud snort of terror. /
looked ahead, and there. not more than 100
feet away, were three of the largest tigers |
ever saw. They were standing still and
seemed undecided whether to attack us or
to run away. My horse was trembling with
fright, and l could not move him forward
or backward. l raised my gun to shoot,
then lowered it again, for l realized that if
I killed or crippled one of the beasts the
others would be on me before | could fire
again. The tigers still seemed undecided
what to do, and | shouted at them as hard
rs l could, thinking. possibly, / might
friUhten them away.
Eat the sound of my voice the beasts
dashed their tails and began to play about
like huge cats, but all the time they were
advancing coward me. For a few seconds l
was thinking very fast, trying to decide on
my horse forward and riding right asst
them as rapidly as possible. buried my
spurs in my horses sides. but he would not
move. Every moment the %frightful looking
beasts were coming nearer and nearer. Now
they were creeping and gliding along
through the tall grass, just as a cat creops
upon a bird.
~, Thought of another plan and lost no
time in putting it into effect. Bending for
ward, l removed my feet from the stirrups,
raised myself out Of the saddle and slipped
along the back of the hoise until | dropped
A. .~,r- Nh h-erN -Ear - @,yL rAurD~ I
me and the tigers. and if he would only
stand still until they sprang upon him l
might be able to escape unnoticed during
the struggle | knew would follow. My horse
seemed paralyzed with fear, and | began
slowly backing away. | had not gone
bodies rise in the air and come down on the
back and neck of my poor horse. When
the horse felt the sharp teeth and claws
tearing into his flesh he gave one long,
piteous, almost human cry, and then began
. struggle for life. Taking advantage of
possible. | saw my horse go down, with
the tigers tearing at his throat and sides,
and l knew the struggle would soon be
over.
For a moment l felt I was safe, and,
turning, l started on a run toward camp.
and to my horror saw one of the tigers
coming bounding after me. His
hideous jaws we're covered with blood and
his eyes cleaned like balls of fire. / turned
and raised my rife, but before | could pull
the trigger / saw the other two tigers leave
the dead horse and come bounding toward
me. Then l lost hope. Great drops of
perspiration rolled down my face and my
knees were SO weak | could scarcely stand,
I determined to risk a shot at the first tiger
anyway and reduce the fearful odds I had
TO contend against.
II fired, but my nerves were too weak,
and missed. At the sound of the shot ali
three of the beasts stopped Tor a moment;
then they began creeping forward for a
spring. l said a prayer of some kind and
gave myself up for lost. Tt seemed to me /
stood there an age watching those angry
beasts creeping nearer and nearer. NY
nerves were about to give way entirely
nder the terrible strain, when | heard a
noise behind me. a moment later a deafen-
ing yolley of rife shots, and then I sank to
the ground i'll q faint. The cry of my
horse had been heard at the camp, and a
half a dozen of the native hunters were sent
out to see if | was in trouble. They came
up just in time, and the weIl-aimed shots
from their heavy rifles killed all three of
the beasts"
The Revolution in Peru.
N-r V-r-, To-