Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1891-10-19
A THRILLING ADVENTURE.

We had almost reached the source of
the Nerbudda River, in the Province of
Bengal, India, when we heard of a man
eating tiger which had terrorizcd space
of country as large as any two counties
in the State OF New York. The Bengal
tiger is held up by showmen and others
Go be the largest and fiercest in India.
While this is not fact, as all tigers arc
alike in disposition, and when full grown
do not differ much in size, our informant
put this animal down as something of a
wonder II was, he declared, the largest
tiger ever seen in that district, and the
animal was positively without fear
There were Ave native villages in the
district where he roamed, and in five
months he had killed and devoured over
40 people. He had finally grown so bold
that most Of the people had fled from the
district, while the area Of cultivated land
had been reduced by two-thirds.
No foreigner can understand the feel
ings of native of India toward this
dreaded animal, the tiger. Fear and
superstition and helplessness are all
mixed up, and between them the beast
has his own sweet way until some white
man comes along and offers to rid the
district of the terrible pest. The idea of
whole villages being abandoned because
a tiger was prowling around strikes one
as absurd, but such had been the case
there, and not the slightest effort had
been made TO kill the beast. He had be-
come so emboldeDed that he would enter
a village by daylight, select his victim,
and trot away with the poor wretch un-
mindful of tlJ hullabaloo raised by the
terrified villagers who had escaped his
teeth aud claws.
Next morning, after receiving the
news, we broke camp and marched
across the country to one of the villages,
arriving there about mid afternoon. We
found the entire populace shut up in
their cabins and in mortal terror, as the
beast had visited them the night before,
broken into cabin, and killed three per-
sons. One Of these-a man-had been
dragged off through the thickets, leaving
plain trail.
The village consisted Of about 80 huts,
which were scattered over two acres of
ground. To the west Of it was densely
wooded country, and the thickets came
down 10 within a few rods of the huts.
The tiger had his lair in this forest, and
always came down along nullah or
creek, which was dry at that season.
1t Is fact that has been verified
hundred times that a maneating tiger
somehow discovers the presence Of white
hunters about. This fellow had been in
the habit Of walking into the village daily
for two weeks, but we knew that he need
not be expected on the first night of our
arrival. We watched for him at three
different points, but everything was as
quiet as if he had fled the neighborhood.
Next day we laid our plans. The tiger
might come by the nullah again, but it
was more than probable that he would
take some other route. was to occupy
q hut at the head of the village, the judge
one in the center, and the colonel was to
be intrenched SO as to cover the usual
approach.
The tents were very primitive affairs,
being made of light poles and having
thatched roofs. The one occupied be-
longed to the family recently slaughtered
by the tiger. Though knowing the great
risk they ran, they had left window at
the back end unguarded. The animal
had leaped in through this hole, which
was eight feet above the earth, and, after
killing the man, had attacked wife and
child simply from desire to slay. He
had gone out Of the window holding to
the mans body, and had even walked
through the village carrying the dead in
bis mouth as cat does a mouse.
During the day they told us several
ctories showing the remarkable boldness
and ferocity of the beast On his first
appearance in the neighborhood he had
waylaid three women going TO a spring
for water. This was about an hour be-
fore sundown. He killed two and ter
ribly clawed the third before she got
away he did not drag the bodies away
or eat any portion of them, and that was
proof that he killed for the sake of kill
ing and was far more dangerous than the
average man eater.
/ lay back on my elbow on the dirt
floor TO converse with him. .anI quarter
of an hour had slipped away whcn we
heard heavy breathing at the door CT
the hut This door, OF opening, had been
made secure with poles placed up and
down and across The squares were
about six inches in diameter, and as we
turned our heads twas to find the tigers
nose thrust through one Of these open
tngs. The brute had got into the village
without any one seeing him. and our first