Asheville daily citizen., 1892-07-11

serpent. To 20 forward was to guess ut
the right compass point, and | heard
sounds to prove that wild beasts We're
prowling about in every direction. vii
liams had borrowed my matchbox or
could have made Il torch. had a heavy
single barrelcd rifle, but no extra ammu
milton and therefore dared not fire Il signal
| was picking my way slowly, feeling
beaten path under my feet, when of a sud.
den | felt myself falling, One cannot re-.
member his thoughts in such cmcri cnccs.
may have cried out, but do not rccollc't
it, | remember that, as brought up ON
my head and shoulders, | heard II fierce
growing almost in my ear. Twas stunned
for moment. When pulled myself up
to Il sitting position | was ut one end Of an
elephant pit, which was five feet wide,
twelve long and twelve deep. The other
cause could smell him, and because he
had his eyes on me, and knew the eyes he
longed to a tiger. Elephant pits are gen
orally so firmly covered that no beast weigh.
Ing less than 800 pounds can break through
This one, us | afterward aSCcrtnincd, had
been covered so long that the poles had
rotted and weakened. The tiger was ahead
of me In falling In.
No one can tell how wild beast will act
under certain circumstances, There is
| even wide difference between two Of the
same species. This tiger did not rush upon
me as fell into the pit, but that might
have been the action of another. As be.
came certain of the situation found little
| 4. I Loo, 1. , ,l.,,t I
badly ratified The tiger kept his two
ereenish ewes fastened ON me. but glanced
| Mt him only at long intervals. The fact
that he had not attacked me might he
taken as proof that he would not if did
not provoke kim. 1t was very hot night
above. Int cuitc cool ut the bottom of the
nit and not a siuglc mosquito found its
way down there. After the lapse of hall
an hour began to yet my nerve back, and
H. nov ostnnish Won to learn that took 4
number of short maps during the lona
hours of that night. | was aroused from
one of these bv the low, fierce growls of tn,
tiger and moment later ! looked up tc
SEQ the head of some wild beast on til,
path above. 1t growcd in RETURN and
| set H. down for n lycna | think the tigc
also slcpt at intervals. If not, then he ha,
his head turned so that could no longo
sec his ewes.
was sleeping quite soundly when day
light came, and u whining, snufliug nois
made by the tiger aroused me. My eye
were hardly open when he cumc ovcrtom
and smrllcd of my knees and feet an,
hands. He actually rested his head ON m.
knees and looked into my eyes. think h
was at first inclined to attack me, as h
rrowlcd I'm II mcnncing way and lashrd hi
tail, but as shut my eyes and kept olic
he finally cnnugyd his mind and withlre,
to his corner AS time passed hc grcwur
easy and kept up II continual whine. Ever
wild beast seeks its covert between da,
break and sunrise. and this instinct mad
the TIGER restless. The sun was lust II
when heard the REPORTS of rifles, and fiv
minutes later the voice of Williams cani
plainly to nv ears. The tiger also hear
the sounds and | thought he acted as
badly rriphtencd | was watching hiI
throuph half omen eyes when the face ,
Williams appcar,l over the edge of ii
nit and he called out in horror strickc
tones;
, 'Grcat heavens! but he's at the hottor
of this nit with tiger! Blank. Arr 70
alive"
Eyes" answered in II voice Just nho,
, a whistler. "ro and grt one of the GAG,