San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-03-05


While the Cat Plays with It-Awfai
Sight That Took Place Before the Eyes
of Helpless Hunter Up Tree.
did you ever see cat play with its
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
81 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
perhaps dozen PAGES from them to battle.
Suddenly, without a moments warning, a
dreadful snarl came from behind US, and
at the same moment big black and vel
low 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 l, being perfectly defenseless,
had darted for the nearest tree and quickly
scrambled into the branches. She did not
follow Then l 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 ginger
ly as good retriever does bird, without
setting a tooth into him, up the bank of
the stream, and set him down before her
young Then she drew off a little way
and watched me in the tree, while her
cubs smelt at their pray and began to paw
him.
"One of them scratched him and he re-
gained consciousness | saw him throw
the whelps aside and spring to his feet.
In 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- | shouted encouragement
to him and he spied me. He implored me
to shoot and not to fear hitting him.
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 fire
arms.
TIGERS ACT LIKE KITTENS
"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
CuDS SloNh lively WHY
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 he gave one cub blow with his
clinched fist on the ear that sent it rolling
over on the ground. Quick as flash 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 and the whelps resumed worry
ing him. Presently | noticed slight
movement in his body. He was wriggling
little by little away from the old tiger, to
ward tree The cubs did not notice it, as
they tumbled over him and over one an
other, 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 he stepped on the little brute and
stumbled. The old beast was up by this
time, but 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 a heap
and then for the first time the mans cour
age deserted him and he shrieked to me
for help and to his gods for mercy.
CARRIED OFF LIKE MOUSE.
Every cry of the doomed wretch went
through me like knife; yet what could |
dor She could kill him with one crunch
of her jaws or blow of her heavy paw and
then lay me out long before | 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 Il 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 so many places, that his
cries grew weaker and weaker and finally
ceased altogether He had tainted or hsi
died and she lost interest 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 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 meal OH him in some
hidden spot. turning for moment to give
me one long look that seemed to say. Fol
low me if you darep
THE wbelps trotted along beside her
shifting at Ahmed's heels as they dragged
on the ground. was too much unneryed