Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-01-07
RACING WITH A TIGER.
A Bicyciist's Desperate Rido for
Life in India


shaker. 70 the days when became the
proud possessor OF one Of the first bicy-
cles ever manufactured. rcveled in the
enchanting pastimc, spending hours
which should have been otherwise &C.
cupicd on tho back Of my iron horse,
thus putting nv physical powers long
way ahead Of my mental In fact, !
hated the sight Of a book, and was
never happy unless securing the couu-
try on my bicycle. My father was a
doctor IN a little Eentish village. and,
having large family, he was thankful
indeed when. at the age OF nineteen, n
commission was obtained for me by
wealthy friend in regiment about to
sail for lndia.
] A grand new bicycle was my fathers
| parting present 10 me. and great was
my delight at finding that another
young sub in my regiment was also
B a bicvclist. In these days when the
iron wheel has so many votarics this
[ may seem nothing strange. but 20 real
/ .ze nv surprise and pleasure you must
remember that a bicycle was then a
| comparative curiosity and bicvclist a
I person 20 be stared at and admired or
. NNNNlNFNNNHtr NfNE NlNNflNn WfTfs ! Nt~
| lievc. the first ever seen in India. aud
rs we rode together into town some
lays after our arrival one would have
I thought IL was the triumphal entry Of
some eastern uotcntatc.
could on q book with the curious
Z Incidents and accidents which befell MS
: IN going mp country" Our regiment
was always on the move, and pauics Of
} one kind or other were very frequent
on our bicycling excursions.
One evening after mess Fred and
drew M and signed articles to ride n
7 fcu-milc race.
There was grand native road within
"a short distance OF our camp running
away for ten miles as Hat as draw
ing board Il lav through the open
plain. and then deserted track was
reached. becoming wilder as the road
proceeded. and finally swallowing it up
in an impenetrable jungle. Bent had
found a circular path around some ma
tive huts a short way from the station,
measuring about six laps to the mile,
and there he prepared himself for the
coming struggle
After a week OF such training as
would make "a modern athletes hair
stand on eud-meat almost raw,
chopped very finely; little drinks OF
neat brandy. etc considered our
selves tt Tor the contest; and the nd
I venture am about to relate occurred
the evening before the eventful dav. /
was Just starting fora last ride over my
flv0rItc course. when an officer stopped
me and sand.
"llave YOU heard OF tho tiger, lIar-
vic?"
"N1.' ] answered.
The natives have just brought word
that a large tiger Is marked down in
the Jungle about ten miles from here;
so don't 20 too far this evening"
-All right, laughed. % think a
tiger would lind 10 difficult matter 70
catch me-my training would tell on
him.
I hal not seen any largo wild beasts
] as vet. and my notion Of a tiger was a
thin. sleepy-i0olSiuV animal, as / had
once seen ia travelling menagerie
Away rode, my comrades caution
forruttcu before hal gone a mile.
J. started at good pace, but not
racing. as intended 20 do all / knew
coming homo. Ga about an hour /
reached my usual haltiuF-place, ten
IIles from the camp. but this being the
last night % my training, ! made M
nay mind 20 ride another couple Of
miles. and then do the whole distance
back 40 my bcst pace.
rode on. and in another ten minutes
found myself In the Jungle.
Sow Tor the race home
Uismuuutiug. oiled my machine.
tigutCucd M every screw, and then sat
!. down on a b0wider % rest and enjoy
The prospect A beautiful scene It was,
too.
Above ms rose the grand mountains,
their snowy tops blushing crimson in
!. tuc setting sun. here waterfall. like
- o. thread OF gold and silver washing
down the mountain side, and twiuiug
n 40 slll.. out amouV the masses Of trees
and rocks, there % glimpse Of fairyland
through a Jungle vista
u a post, or "tauk, as they are called,
aurr1uudcd by dense foliage, fcstooned
by parasitical climbing plants, glow
nag with u0wors Of every imaginable
hue, Uu4uIug birds, like fiery
gems. flashed hithcr ana thithcr, dart
.ug iu ard out among the trees. Op
--- tau.s doatad water fowl Of every
sud, and the uaui.s were alive with
gorgeous birds, their plumape rivalinR
tue flowers i1 ur.liiaucy and variety OF
ellariuV Iat uaH the shadows were
>. idacuenIur. The crimson on the noun
ll-u tar. bad disappeared, and cold
snow began o. look gray and Rhostly.
a dying fox went rustllug past me,
, aud Q hastily prepared 20 mount; for
shore Is scarcely any twilight Ia In
dia- ANA ! know IL would soon be dark.
AS ] ros7 my eve encountered some-
thiuy which made me start and nearly
! hr1u my bicycle.
lIrru- lHt forty rIris DIX was A
tiger l.lew thc animal well enoughi
but how different ha looked from the
lean. haIfstarvcd little beast ! had
Eaen,a home. lie mad just come into the
open space from a dense Jungle break,
aud sat there washing his face and
purriug IN a c1ntentcd sort Of way, like
huVe cat
Was : frivhtHuedf Not un atom; 1
had my bicycle and a start Of forty
Yarris. 50 u I could not beat him IL was
pity
he had not seen me vet, and ! stood
for zugtnsr mtz-tr 5dn.riDg the h5pd'