Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1892-01-28

II Almost Cost a Hunter In Inai. n

"A correspondent sends TO the
Youths Companion an account OF his
experience In killing tiger. He waa
travelling through India on ofiicia,
business, aud I'm one OF the villages
heard OF tiger which committed
nightly depredations. He bought a
calf for bait, and the natives took 1t
TO point outside the village and
fastened 1t to a stake under con-
venient tree, where branch, some
twenty feet from the ground, hung
over 1t.
Just before night, armed with two
rifles and two pistols, all the firearms
had with me, established myself
alone upon that branch. Il did not
even take my one servant with me.
He would only have gone to sleep and
fallen TO the ground.
Quietly prepared for business. ]
. hung my ammunition belt over the
limb, where / could reach it easily.
My pistol belt hung beside 1t, with
one pistol on each side, SO that /
could lay my hand upon either in
stantly. One rifle balanced against
the tree, and as there was no place
for the other, held it In my hand.
All was ready, and / patiently
waited. An hour went by and the
moon rose, making 1t almost as light
as day. could see everything.
l had chosen this spot because
there was spring not far from the
tree, and the first thing the tiger
would look for after lying all day In
the jungle would be a drink of water.
II he came there to drink he would
be sure to see and hear the calf, and
make for 1T at once.
Between the tree and the spring
stood a cluster of low shrubs. Be-
yond the spring there was open coun-
try, and then the jungle whence /
supposed the tiger must come. l had
not taken my eyes from 1t, but
though / could see even the jackals
on the edge Of the jungle, there was
no tiger.
Another hour went by. / was
growing sleepy, and seeing no danger
1 took my gun and went to the spring
for a drink. was slowly walking
back to the tree when the struggles
of the calf attracted my attention.
1t was making most peculiar noise,
and low growl came from the
bushes between me and the tree. If
blood can run cold, / am sure mine
did at that moment.
There / stood in an open plain,
with just one shot at my command,
and tiger between me and my only
refuge.
He had evidently been there for
some time. He had seen me in the
tree, and had been waiting for me to
go before he dared to touch the calf.
If he was growing now at the calf,
preparing for meal, there was hope
for me; but if he was growing at my
coming back, it meant that he was
ready to spring upon me, and there
was not one atom Of hope.
did not dare to move. The calf
kept up it's crying, and the low,
ominous purring never ceased. Then
each noise grew a little more en-
phatic, and it was evident that be-
tween us two the tiger had decided
upon the calf. A little later 1 saw
his huge form stealthily moving
about the tree. He was evidently
afraid OF some trick, and was inves-
tigating.
l did not move till he made the
leap. Then l hurried up behind the
bushes, and could see him crouching
over the poor calf, drinking its blood.
1t was impossible for me to reach the
tree. Now, If ever, was my chance.
One shot must do the work. / aimed
at his head and fired. / saw him
loose his hold, heard him give one
savage yelp, and then, to my horror,
saw him turn, crashing his teeth
furiously, and come creeping toward
the bushes.
l sank down on my knees to get as
much shelter as possible, and waited
for what seemed as sure death as
ever faced man. But the growing
subsidized into a hoarse breathing
Was the tiger dying? cautiously
rose till l could see through the up
per branches. Two bright, yellow
eyes, like fire-balls, and sharp growl
sent me to my knees again.
hC bikCl 10 a NONdiu SlOW w
spring upon what he cannot see. He
is naturally patient, also, and for the
present l dared not be otherwise than
patient. So we waited. The rough
ground tortured my knees till l
thought l would almost rather die
than bear the pain longer. Then the
breeze would stir the leaves, and a
low growl would convince me that 1
had better bear it little longer, af-
ter all.
1t was long time before 1 dared
risk another look. There was moth
ing there! crept from my hiding
place. The calf lay dead beneath the
tree. The next moment / saw the
tiger, almost half way to the jungle,
living stone-dead uDOn the ground