New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-01-31
4 TIGEP-HUNTING INCIDENT
THE TIGER N THE ROLE OF HUNTER
SOME 1NKILNG OF now THE MOUSE FEEh> WHILE
THE CAT PLAYS WITH 1T.

THE CAT PLAYS WITH H.
hid Won eyer see cat play with its prey oe'o'o
killing it ?" asked a New Yorker, the oo'o' ' ~,
had hunted big game in almost every lanu nd Won
cane can he found mo doubt you have AN" ~
regarded it with nothing more than cuIiosnS. .a,r
hans Won have also seen her instruct her h'''o"' ~
70 shake and worry it and terror ana deau "o'' W.
things farlest from your nina al the .'0' .,
Looked with an amused smile at inc ciu"i' .
the kittens when they let the prey get away ,
hem and the big cat had to pounce on II anu D'o
II tock 70 them again. Nothing about that ~ "an'
Won tremblc ehl OF course not, but ""oo SOW Wv
same thing and was sick and faint win '"o 'o'o
-, IL and 7 am no coward either IL TOOK Piio"
roore ago bnt I remember every bood-curuihs III
cident Of IT, as IL it had happened yeSeruas' anu
would never forget it, if lived thousand years
Won don't understand, eh! Well, my cat was
bigger one than yours She was man ea"he Os' r
II nil came about in this way. | was hunuhs Ill '''
,nrIo for birds. with one native guncarrer, and as
tha d,v WAS brolIng hot halted by nttle sucah'
70 battle our heads and hands. We were ho' ga
pccting any big game, as none had Dcch soon " w
neighborhood for time; SO we lald our guns uo'
ON the exposed roots Of tree, ana we went perhaps
dozen pace, from them to battle Suddenly "ionou.
moments warning "A dreadful snarl came rohi Ooi,''u
ne and NJ fine same moment big black and yeno"
streak shot from the uDderbrish and lit iuh Oh the
hack OF my man, who stood apart from me-
He sank under tine weight Of the big tiger, ike
rag and she prepared TO spring on me ou' - Oe"e
PERFECTLY dcfcnc less had dlNcd for the nearest ucc
and quickly scrambled into the branches one ulu no'
folow Then | noticed that the big cat was Followed
hr tlr,a ~ bcr cubs She took my man by the cloth
which WIS tied about his lons and carried him. as
dngcry a, a good retriever does Bird WITHOUT set'ns
a tooth into him, up the bank OF tie streah diu So'
him down before her young Then she Ore" on HUE
way and watched In the tree, while her CUBS smei
a, their nrev and began to paw him. one Of them
10. nod
him throw the wheps aside and spnhs 10 Ms nee" !"
, iYy the old cat wac his back again, ana ne was
down lie seemed to realize the situation tlsh' lor O0
first ime and lie lay still and rolled his eyes ABOUT ~
search Of me- | shouted encouragement 10 h"i' anu
ne ,pled me- lie mporcd me to shoot ana not 10 rear
hitting him. / told him guns were all under the
tree where Mad left them, and that he ana the useiS
were between me and the hlearnl'
He was a brave man, an old hunter so he said no
more but lay very still And lying still was no easy
thing to do for the cubs had grown more h'ciy ana
were scratching his face and chest and gnawinS at his
legs with their Short but sharp teeth He endured IL a
long as he could and then he gave one cub a blow
with his cenchcd fist the that sent II rolling
over on the ground. Quick a fash lta mother da ted
at him and hit him one crack on the arm that made
1t fall limp and bleeding by his -ide. Then lie lay
sun again and the whelps resumed worrying him
Presently | noticed slight movement In his body.
He wrigging little by little away from inc oiu
tiger toward "A tree The cubs did not notice 1t, rs
they tumbed him and over one another, and the
old dcvl did not appear to lie aware OF it either
By and by the poor fellow got within ten feet OF
the tree and. jumping up made dash for H. one OF
the cubs hung to his ankle and he stepped on the
little brute and stumbled. The old beast ND by
this time but made move aS If 10 come down from
my tree and she hestated a moment between me and
him. That moment gave him time 10 Chamber up the
trunk OF the tree about six feet. TO the first branch
There his wounded arm failed him and he hung unable
for minute to get higher. Tigers do not climb trees
but their jumping powers wonderful The big cat
left and IN bounds at the foot Of the tree
The third took her right up In the air. and she lit
my poor Ahmed again. They fell from the limb In
a heap and then for the first time the mans courage
deserted him and he shcked TO for help and To his
god, for mercy. Every cry OF the doomed wretch
went through like II knife yet what could do 2
She could Kill him with crunch OF her jaws OF
blow Of her heavy paw. and then lay mo out long
before | could reach the guns.
Then followed The most horrible scene 1
witness d. The tiger began Ia give her whelps a
practical lesson. she snatchcd that poor fellow by
the neck aud tossed him about like a cat does Il
mouse. while h, screams almost broke my Ieart:
she threw him high and let him fall oftcn. bounced
upon him hard and sank her teeth In him In SO
many places, that his cries grew weaker and weaker
died. and she lost Inter st in him at Leaving
his limp body to the whelps She came over t9 my
tree and walked around 1t with her horrible old
eyes fixed on me. and expected her to try jump
for me. | climbed up higher. she watched me for u
long time aud then a, she was evidently hungry. she
took Ahmed by the neck. threw him her shoulder
like old bag. and walked OFF into the jungle to make
meal him in some hidden spot. turning for
say: d" Follow me If you darep The whelpS trotted
along beside her, smiling at AhmcdS heels as thy
| To follow when had got my guns again. Even when
think Of that scene now. Shuddcr and can see
Ahmed's limp body b Ing shaken to and fro, and can
hear hi, strangcd ycs aud cries for help, which
dared not give