The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-07-10
GOOD s7oRIhs or THE PRESENT DAY.
An Experience with n Bcngai rlqer at the
Bottom OF m Elephant FIT.

reached Myanec. on the edge OF tho great forest
OF Chittagonc province Of Bengal. we wcro
told that We had at last struck tho tigers para
disc. Tho people OF the village. numbering
about 600 souls. had heard that We were
headed Tint way and that we would pay ElO for
tuii-Srown captive tiger. and tho men had
dug several pits and set two or three traps.
Three DAYS before our arrival thoy caught q
tiger. but had bad luck with him.
nntivc tiger trap IS largo cuge construct.
ed OF bamboo and about { feot widc by 10
feet long. At one end is u door which slides
up and down in grooves. Tho bat is plnccd at
the opposite end. aud whoa seized n trigger s
pulled and tho door falls. The tiger was
caught some time daring the night. Next
morning when they went out to carry tho cage
to the village. tho beast became furious at
sight OF them. and finally broke out Of the cage
and killed ono man and badly wounded au-
other before making off. They had inspected
the tiger at short range. and all had observed
that piece had been bitten out OF his left car.
The wound had hcalod. hut 1t was IL good
mark for Identification in case he was ever
seen again.
We had como into tho province Of Bengal to
CAPTURE as many tigers as possible. as good
animals were scarce among shuwmcn and tho
Hamburg house had orders on its books for a
dozen Or more 1t Ia popularity believed that
the Bengal tiger IL larger and !icrcer and more
unlnmahe than tho tiger Of any other district.
WHO this Is by no means tho case. q zo0logi-
cal garden ore Snowman will pay n higher
price for ono of them and advertise him more
extensively.
Our first care was to construct several small
stout cages in which to transport our en- ptives.
IN cnse we had the good luck to make any
and tho next to lay out the ground. There
woro no maneaters haunting tho nelghbor-
hood and no tiger had been seen about the
village. Hunting parties had routed them out
in tho ravine and thickcts to the west. and
now and then a bullock had been killed by
them on the edge Of the cleared land. After "a
survey of tho country we dug several pits and
placed several traps. and then had nothing to
do tut walt. Each pit and trap was visited
twice daY by men detailed for the purpose.
They went in the morning to SEQ il We had
caught anything. and again at mid-afternoon
to rclalt and reset in case hyena or jackal
had been made captive. These animals were
source OF great annoyance u us by sneaking
into tho traps and falling into the pits meant
for larger game.
1t was ten days before we made q strike. but
the captive was we'll worth waiting for He
had Just attained his prime and was a real
roya! beauty. some mon when ill luck bcfalls
Otitcr men and other tigers take matters more
p!!ilos' phlcally. 1 his ie! low was sitting down
when We iirst caught sight Of him. and it was
only when We were within thirty feet OF his
kingly Growl. Then he lay down again. seem
yet determiued to preserve his dignity, and we
had notrouble whatever in removing him to
one OF the Transportation cages. He was 50
quiet and docile that some Of tho natives de-
clared he must have been n captive before.
THAT was not possible; however. He, had Just
toward ali the world. and was intetiisent
enough III to rcelizo that he was holpless:
hunter that large herd OF elephants was In
III. forest anout six miles nway. and that one
native, and circ.ed % Tie northwest. willie
tool, the same nunlhcr and circled to tho
herd before We effected a junction. and then
drive it toward village. 1t took us three
SIGHT we saw wlren We crcpt down on the herd.
They had Just stopped feeding. and were col
three bali"s not yet wcnned.
The tusk"r men, Toned was a noble big fell
low. but had got the worst Of a fight in which
der. He could hardly put that foreio"t to the
ground. and was stnndng hy himself and
sulkInG when We caught sight Of him creIt
around to the south to Est a fair shot at him.
one usk broksp Of a IF w SH ,H p Y
would have got both Of them but Tor an acct
dent. ono OF tn" natives, moving on his hands
fnco by poisonous serpent and he cried out
at the top oil his voice. ~ his first scream the
elephants went III at a furious pace. and We
knew they would not stop under five miles
Tho native had nenn struck by Jungle viper
I reached him within five minutes. ami he was
then, rolling on the ground with his face so
swol!on that he coul! no longer see out OF his
eyes, IL quarter Of an hour no was dead
His death made very little impression on his
Iif lnir mi,
tnd!i!"rcnce. and said So to my head man. and
" WIZ. sahib. he is dead. and that ends it.
My Srnnifithrr was eaten by tiger. my
lnthrr XII led by buffalo. and my only brother
Ny turn may come any day. Why should [
weep or lam"DtT
Four Of me natives were ordered to make a
burial. and wadlvided into two parties again
and SGT ont after tho herd. Hero and ther. we
more easy but at other tines "" Could scarc:
I, rec a assage through th"thickets. was
I l. the ,E way, and su.pose,' my men were
and whenever struck fpvura 10 ground IN
rrcas"d my lacs t9a run. inally hoard the
when suddenly. realized that was alone ia
me forest. ,waiiah Tor perhaps ten minutes. |
expected !" hu ov"rtakon at any moment, |
ann was not In tho lcart alarmed; Twas grad I
alarmed he irasts again. and away /
they went NJ a tremendous gait, and / knnwf I,
should see moth y NOR" ufth"m that aftcrnOp N /
] WA now within t0Ur miles of tho village |
and on rlain path. hut IN" sun was SO lpwthrt |
i WIS twilight IN the forest. | was going for |
ward al a gond pace when hugo hynna Gro ssed |
my path with growi Tw" minutes later |
n'f" werr yeinS ana snarlS from very dirnc-
ION, ana realized that lhe msht providers Of !
he lor"7t were nItir. ! WAS gulnx Lraycly ,
ihraf and would havo boon uui If tho forest !
n nan an holr more. when the sun went |
Town and had to almost ierl my way foot hy
oot rho situation was anyth'n. Int poas- !
mt, If climbed II tire" ml@ht p" rttcn hy n /
'ntk" ARK ne am png Che tran"H"s. and tha !
nos !uitooS would eat mo aliy' In two hours /
I c"rapi the Scrlnnl. 20 Forward was /
- guess Mt tho ri.ht compass point. and |
lca'i sounds to prove that wild casts w"rn ,
n W ing about in every direction. Williams ,
lad borrowed my match box o. could hayo
made torch ] md a heavy nglc-harreIlei /
me-. hut Z" extra ammunition, and therefore
Jared not Are signal
] Wa. picking ny way slowly. feeling a
en- NY .nii falling one cannot remember h 3
thoughts IN sHch "mersenci"-; | may have
rl"d @ut, Tat DO lot rcc"lrct II. romcm.
,"r that. n ] brought up rN my head and
heard n fierce growing almost In
ny ear. was stunned for u moment When
l,GiI ID r!ysr!f VI t. a sittIn. ,Siton / was
i On" end o! an elephant pt, which was tiyo
Get wIGr; twelve long. and twelve deep Tho
ther end Was occupied hy tlgGr. | knew II
'ccausa could sm"l him. and because he