The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-04-07
DREADFUL PLAY.
Sportiye Tigers Tease the Live Body Of a
Hunter.

DID you ever see cat play With lts
prey before killing it ?" asked New
Yorker, the other day who had hunted
big game in almost every land where big
game can be found.
II was hunting in the jungle for birds,
with one native gun carrier, and as the
day was broiling hot we halted by a little
stream to bathe our heads and hands.
We we're not expecting any big game, as
none had been seen in the neighborhood
for some time; so We laid our guns down
on the exposed roots of tree, and went
perhaps dozen PAGES from them to
battle. Suddenly, without moments
warning, dreadful snarl came from be-
hind US, and at the same moment q big
black and yellow streak shot from the
underbrush and lit full on the back of
the gun carrier, who stood apart from
me.
"He sank under the weight of the big
tiger like rag. and she prepared to
spring on me, but J., being perfectly de.
fenseless, had darted for the nearest tree
and quickly scrambled into the branches.
She did not follow. Then I noticed that
the big cat was followed by three cubs.
She took my man by the cloth which WAS
tied about his loins, and carried him as
gingerly as good retriever does bird,
without setting tooth into him, up the
bank of the stream, and set him down
before her young. Then she drew off
little way and watched me in the tree,
while her cubs slnelt at their prey md
began to paw him.
"One of them scratched him and he
regained consci BUSINESS. I saw him throw
the whelps aside and spring to his feet
tn jify the old cat was on his back
again and he was down. He seemed To
realizs the situation then for the first
time, and he lay still and rolled his eyes
about 10 search of NE. 1 shouted en-.
couragement to him and he spied me.
He implored me to shoot and not to fear
hitting him. I told him our guns were
all under the tree where we had left
them, and that he and the tigers were
between me and the firearms.
"He was brave man, an old hunter,
80 he said no more, but lay very still.
And lying still was no easy thing to do,
for the cubs had grown more lively, and
were scratching his face and chest and
guswing at his legs with their short, but
sharp, teeth. He endured it as long as
he could, and then be gave oIe cub q
blow with his clinched fist on the ear
that sent it rolling over on the ground.
Quick as fash its mother darted at him
and hit him one crack on the arm. that
made it fall limp and bleeding by his
side. Then he lay still again aDd the
whelps resumed worrying him. Present
ly I noticed a slight movement in bis
body. BE was wriggling little by little
away from The old tiger toward a tree.
The cubs did not notice it, as they tuul-
bled over him and over one another, and
the old devil did not appear to be aware
of it either.
"By and by the poor fellow got within
ten feet of the tree and jumping up made
dash for it. One of the cubs hung to
his ankle and be stepped on the little
brute and stumbled. The old beast was
up by this time; but I made move as if
to come down from my tree, and she hes.
itated a moment between me and him.
That moment gave him time to 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
a minute to get higher. Tigers do not
climb trees, but their jumping powers
are wonderful. The big cat left me and
in two bounds was az The foot of the tree.
The third took her right up in the air,
and she lit on my poor Ahmed again.
They fell from the limb in heap, and
then for the first time the mans courage
deserted him and he shrieked to me for
help and to his gods for mercy.
"Every cry of the doomed wretch went
through me like knife, yet what could I
do? She could kill him with one crunch
of her jaws or blow of her heavy paw
and then lay me out long before l could
reach the guns.
''Then followed the most terrible scene
1 ever witnessed. The tiger began to give
her whelps practical lesson. She snatch
ed that poor fellow by the neck and toss
ed him about like cat does mouse,
while his screams almost broke my heart
She threw him high and let him fall 30
often, pounced upon him 80 hard and
sank her teeth in him in 30 many places,
that his cries grew weaker and finally
ceased altogether.
Leaving his limp body to the whelps,
she came over to my tree and walked
around it with her horrible old eyes fixed
on me, and I expected her to try jump
for me, so I climbed up higher. She
watched me for long time, and then as
she was evidently hungry, she took All
med by the neck, threw him over her
shoulder like an old bag, and walked off
into the jungle to make meal on him in
some hidden spot, turning for moment
to give me one long look that seemed to
say, Follow me if you dare!'
".The whelps trotted along beside her
shifting at Ahmed's heels as they drag.
ged on the ground. was too much un'
nerved to follow when I had got my guns
agsin.s Even when I think of that scene
now I sbudder, and I can see Ahmed's
limp body being shaken to and fro, and
can hear lis strangled yells and cries for
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