The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-02
THE TIGER IN THE RoLEoFHUNrgR
Some Inkling of How the Mouse Feels
While the Cat Plays With II.
From the NetO York Tribune.


From the NetO York Tribune.
"Did you ever see a cat play with its prey
before killing it," asked a New Yorker, the
other day, who had hunted big game in
almost every land where big game can be
found. mo doubt you have. and you re-
garded it with nothing more than curiosity.
| Perhaps you have also seen her Instruct her
| kittens how to shake and worry it; and
terror and dread were the things farthest
from oour mind at the time, as you looked
| with an amused smile at the clumsiness of
the kittens when they let the prey get away
from them, and the big cat had to pounce
on it and bring it back to them again.
! Nothing about that to make you tremble,
eh9 OF course not, but once saw the same
thing, and was sick and faint with horror
Of it, and l am no coward, either. 1t took
place years ago, but l remember every
| blood-curdling incident of 1t as If 1t had
| happened yesterday, and would never for
| get 1t, II | lived a thousand years.
You don't understand, eh? Well, my
| cat was bigger one than yours. She was
a man-eating tiger and e all came about In
this way; | was hunting in the jungle for
| birds, with one native gun-carrier, and as
the day was broiling hot we halted by
| little stream to battle our heads and hands
We were 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 we went per-
| haps a dozen PAGES from them to battle.
| Suddenly, without moments warning, a
dreadful snarl came from behind us and at
the same moment a big black and yellow
| streak shot from the underbrush and lit full
on the back OF my man, who stood apart
| from me.
HE sank under the weight of the big
| tiger like rag, and she prepared to spring
on me, but |. being perfectly defenseless.
had started for the nearest tree and quickly
scrambled into the branches. She did not
| follow. Then noticed that the big cat
was followed by three OF her cubs. She
| took my man by the cloth which was tied
about his loins, and carried him, as gingerly
as a good retriever does a 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 smelt
| at their prey and began to paw him. One
OF them scratched him, and he regained con-
seriousness. l saw him throw the whelps
aside and spring to his feet. In a jiffy the
old cat was On his back again. and he was
down. He seemed TO realize the situation
then. for the first time, and he lay still and
rolled his eyes about in search Of me. l
shouted encouragement to him, and he spied
me. He implored me to shoot and not to fear
hitting him. 1 told him our guns were all
under the treee where we had left them,
me and the firearms.
He was a brave man. an old hunter, SO
he said no more, but lay very still. And
lying still was no easy thing to do, for the
cubs had grown moro lively and were
scratching his face and chest and gnawing
at his legs with their short but sharp teeth.
He endured it as long as he could and then
gave one cub blow with his clenched fist
on the ear, that sent it rolling over on the
ground Quick as a flash its mother darted
at him and hit him one crack on the arm
thai made it fall limp and bleeding by his
SIDE Then he lay still again and the
whelps resumed worrying him. Presently
noticed slight movement in his body.
He was wrlggling little by little away
from the tiger toward a tree. The cubs
did not notice it, as they tumbled over him
and over one another, and the 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 end he stepped on the little brute and
stumbled. The old beast was up by this
time, but l made move as If to come down
from my tree and she hesitated 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 minute to get higher.
Tigers do not climb trees, but their jump
ing powers are wonderful. The big cat
left me and in two bounds was at 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 cour-
age deserted him and he shrieked 10 me for
help and to his gods for mercy. Every cry
of the doomed wretch went through me
Nike knife; yet what could l do? She
could kill him with one crunch of her jaws
or hlNxv HaY hnaV nd fhnr1 Law VVna
out long before l could reach the guns.
Then followed the most horrible scene /
ever witnessed. The tiger began to give her
whelps practical lesson. She snatched that
poor fellow by the neck and tossed him
about like cat does a mouse, while his
screams almost broke my heart. She threw
him high and let him fall so often, pounced
upon him so hard and sank her teeth in him
in 80 many places, that his cries grew weaker
and weaker, and finally ceased altogether.
He had tainted or had died, and she lost in
terest in him at once. 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 l expected her
to try jump for me, SO | climbed
up higher. She watched me for
long time, and then as she was evidently
hungry, she took Ahmed by the neck,
threw him over her shoulder like an old
bag, and walked off into the Jungle to make
a 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 Ahmeds heels as they dragged on the
ground. was too much unnerved to follow
when had got my guns again. Even when
l think of that scene now. Ishudder, and
can see Ahmed's limp body being shaken to
and fro, and can hear his straugled wells
and cries for help, which I dared not
give"
THERE Is a wine cask in Toledo which holds
$1,000 gallons and thereby greatly outdoes the
famous Heidelberger Fass, celebrated in Ger
man prose and poetry.
THE total revenue of the charitable institu-
tinns having their haadnnartars in Inndnr,