The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1892-02-25
RACING WITH A TIGER.
a Bicyclist's Desperate Ride fol-
Life in India.

/ was always very fond of bicycling,
and from the time when l was small
boy and labored for hours with bone
shaker, to TIE days when became the
proud possessor of one of the first bicy-
cles ever manufactured, reveled in the
enchanting pastime, spending hours
which should have been otherwise oc-
cupied on the back of my iron horse,
thus putting my physical powers long
way ahead OF my mental In fact, j
hated the sight of book, and was
never happy unless securing the coun-
Try on my bicycle. My father was a
doctor in little Kentish village, and,
having large family, he was thankful
indeed when, at the age Of nineteen, a
commission was obtained for me by a
wealthy friend in regiment about to
sad for India. =.
grand new bicycle was my fathers
parting present to me, and great was
my delight at finding that another
young sub in my regiment was also
bicyclist. In these days when the
iron wheef' has so many yotaries this
may seem nothing strange, but to real
ize my surprise and pleasure you must
remember that a bicycle was then a
-rUfupurative curiosity and bieYclist a
person to be stared at and admired or
otherwise. Our bicycles were, / be-
licve, the first ever seen in India and
as we rode together into town some
days after our arrival one would have
thought it was the triumphal entry of
some eastern potentate.
could fill q book with the curious
Incidents and accidents which befell us
III going ''up country" Our regiment
was always on the move, and panics of
one kind or other were very frequent
on our bicycling excursions,
One evening after mess Fred and
drew up and signed articles to ride a
ten-m mile race.
There was grand native road within
ashort distance of our camp running
away for ten miles as flat as a draw
ing board. IT lay through the open
plain, and then deserted track was
reached, becoming wilder as the road
proceeded, and finally swallowing it up
in an impenctrable jungle. Bent had
found a circular path around some ma
tive huts short way from the station,
measuring about six laps to the mile,
and there he prepared himself for the
coming struggle.
After week of such training as
would make modern athletes hair
stand on end-meat almost raw,
chopped very finely; little drinks of
neat brandy, ctc.-we considered our
selves fit for the contest; and the adj
venture | am about to relate occurred
the evening before the eventful day. /
was just starting for last ride over my
favorite course, when an officer stopped
ME and said:
Have you heard of the tiger, Har-
vio?"
No" | answered.
The natives have just brought word
that large tiger is marked down in
the Jungle about ten miles from here;
so don't go too far this evening""
IAN right" laughed. ~ think a
tiger would find it difficult matter to
catch mc-my training would tell on
him."
hal not seen any large wild beasts
as yet, and my Notion of tiger was a
thin, sleepy looking animal, as / had
once seen in a travelling me nagerie.
Away | rode, my comrades caution
forgotten before had gone mile.
| started at good pace, but not
racing, as intended to do all l knew
coming home In about an hour l
reached my usual halting-place, ten
miles from the camp; but this being the
r s,,,.- I a1.,t ,
my mind to ride another couple of
miles, and then do the whole distance
back at my best pace.
! rode on, andin another ten minutes
found myself in the Jungle. =
Now for the race home.
Dismounting, / oiled my machine,
frightened up every screw, and then sat
down on u bowlder to rest and enjoy
the prospect A beautiful scene it was,
too.
Above me rose the grand mountains,
their snowy tops blushing crimson in
the setting sun, here "a waterfall. like,
a thread of gold and silver, washing
down the mountain side, and twining
in and out among the masses of trees
and rocks there glimpse of fairyland
through jungle vista.
A post, or tank" as they are called,
Surrounded by dense foliage, festooned
by parasitical climbing plants, glow
ing with flowers of every imaginable
Inc; humming birds, like fiery
gems, flashed hither and thither, dart
tllsg in and out among, the trees. On.
the tank" f1oated water fowl of every
I'D 4 Al. oil yA
gorgeous birds, their plumage rivaling
the flowers in brilliancy and variety Of
eoloring But now the shadows were
deepening, the crimson on the noun
tain tops had disappeared, and cold
snow began TO look gray and ghostly.
"A flying fox went rustlfng past me,
md hastily prepared to mount; for
There is scarcely any twilight IN In
dia, ana Knew it would soon be dark.
As rose my eye encountered some
thing which made me start and nearly
drop my bicycle.
There, not forty yards off, was q
tiger. kne the animal well enough;
but how different he looked from the
lean, half-starved little beast had
acen.athome. He had just come into the
openspace from dense Jungle break,
and sat there washing his face and
purring in a contented Sort of way, like
a huge cat
Was frightened? Not an atom; !
had my bicycle and start Of forty
Yards so il could not beat him 1T was
pity.
lie had not seen me yet, and stood
y Ior another minute admiring the hand
'9ms erssturs and then quietly iaSuat
q.