Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1892-09-22
BEAST AND REPTILE.
A Titanic Contest Betwoon a Tiger
and Constructor.
Terminated Mt Last by the Trusty Knife
of an Interested spectator-rhrllllng
Hunting Adventure In south
American Wiids.



Some months ago whilst journeying
TO the gold mining region of British
Guiana, which Is situated right IN the
very penetralia Of the vast forests that
stretch from the Cordilleran Andes TO
the Atlantic, encountered one OF
the most singular experiences Of life
in the tropical wilderness that has
ever been observed by explorer. had
left the Sunday camp far behind me in
the excitement of the chase after the
infrequent game that prolonged dry
season was driving to the distant
water courses, and suddenly came up
on a very picturesque spot where, from
all appearances, ! had right TO ex-
pect TO find some game-and got It'll
But IL is necessary that here describe
the scene ere relating the singular adj
venture that followed The trees, no.
where very dense in this locality, here
stood widely apart, as though planted
thus to leave a clear space for cliffy
little hill that rose right across the
path had been following and adown
the fern and Iloss-covered face OF
which dashed a sparkling cascade in
three graceful leaps. At the foot of
the hill this fall formed wide basin
that spread TO the buttresscs and tor
tuous roots of a giant silk cotton tree
whose wide-cast shade covered half the
surface of the pool even at noon. From
this lakelet tiny stream now, but
probably great water course in the
rainy season, went gurgling away over
its pebbly bottom into the depths of
the forest.
Ere | could well take In the view n
superb deer came bounding out of the
underground, evidently under the influ-
ence of extreme terror. As he sighted
me he swerved, and my bullet brought
him down with a shattered shoulder.
At the same instant the largest speci-
men of the tiger family that had ever
seen on this continent came tearing
after, and flung himself on the pros
trate animal, tearing and chewing the
yet palpitating flesh with an eager fe-
rocity that was sickening to behold.
This would never do The poor brute
had possibly been enduring protracted
fast, and | would concede him the point
of having beaten up the quarry; but
what sportsman, let alone a half-fam.
ishcd explorer, would stay TO moralize
over the legal rights of a beast of prey?
My argument was distracting, If not
an Immediately conclusive one, for the
bullet, instead of piercing his head,
only plowed strip of flesh from his
shoulder.
As in answer to the first shot, had
been conscious of rustling in the thick
foliage above; it had now become tu-
multuous, but ere | could glance up
ward to ascertain the cause the wound
ed tiger launched itself at me. Stimuli
taneously n gigantic black body, sinu-
Gus as a cable and terminating in hid
eous head, descended yard or two be-
fore my face. 1t was an anaconda, and
the sight fairly paralyzed me with the
hypnotic fascination of the evil-glow-
ing eyes, and the dreadful suggestive
ness of the yawning, slimereeking
fangs, to which may be added the fetid
breath that came in kissing gasps from
the writhing throat. Even as the rep
tile swung down, however, the tiger
came up and both met in mid airl A
terrific blow on face and chest lifted me
clear off my feet and hurled me back
ward into the pool, to the very bottom
of whose fathom-deep basin | sank,
much to the dismay of its finny denizens.
Not at all hurt and but temporarily
demoraiizcd BY this rough experience, |
speedily pulled myself together and
anxiously glanced ashore to see how