The Delta independent., 1893-12-06
TIGERS PLAYTHING.
IN THE POWER OF A GIANT OF
THE JUNGLE.
A Hunter Tells of His Unsn viabls Ex
psrlencs-.aved by Having Retained
His aun-The Tigers Cubs Receive IN
Object Lesson.

In India once went out on q hot,
dusty plain near the Ganges, with
my rifle and one native servant, to
see what | could shoot It was a dis
NAL place. Here and there were
dumps OF tall grass and bamboos,
with now and then q tamarisk tree.
Parrots screamed in the trees. and
the startled cav of some Indian
crows made me pause and look
around to see what had disturbed
them The crows almost at once set
tied down again into silence, and, as
saw no signs of danger. l went on
oarelessly. l was alone for l had
sent back my servant to find my
match-box which l had left at tie
place of my last halt; but had aS
apprehensiUns, for l was near the
post, and the district was one from
which. as was supposed. the tigers
had been cleaned out some years be-
fore.
Just as was musing upon this fact,
with tinge Of regret because l had
come too late to have u hand In the
clearance. / was crushed to the
" q mug ihaoo " llSh StchVu
to have been hurled upon me from
behind. says Youths Companion
writer. My head felt as though IL
hsd been dashed with Icy ov aoalding
water, and tier everything turned
blaok Il was stunned by the shock
Il vas oaiy for an instant. When l
opened my eyes / was lying with my
face in the sand. Not knowing whore
was or what had happened.
started to rise when instantly
huge paw turned me over on my
hack, and | saw the great yellow
green eyes OF a tiger looking down
upon me through their narrow black
slits.
don't know how long lay there
stupidity gazing up into the brute's
Dyes. but presently l made move
ment to sit up, and then | saw that
still hold my rifle in my hand. While
was looking at tho weapon with
vague. harrassing sense that there
was something ought to do with 1t.
tho tiger picked mo up by the left
shoulder and made off with me into
. Jungle; and still clung to the rifle.
though | had forgotten what use l
should put it to- The grip OF the
tigers teeth upon my shoulder ] felt
but numbly, and yet as found after
wards, it was SO far from gentle as
to have shattered the bone.
Having cs-ried me perhaps half q
mile the brute dropped me and. rails
ing her head, uttered peculiar soft
cry. Two cubs appeared at once in
answer to the summons. and bounded
up 20 meet her. At the first glimpse
OF me. however, they shcered of in
alarm, and their dam had to coax
them for some minutes, rolling me
over softly with her paw or picking
me up and laying me down in front
Of them, before she could convince
them that | was harmless. At last
the youngsters suffered themselves
to be persuaded. They threw them
selves upon me with eager though
not very dangerous ferocity. and be-
gan to maui and worry me. Their
claws and teeth seemed to awaken
pain. ! threw of the snArling little
animals roughly and started to crawl
away. The mother lay watching tho
game with satisfaction.
Instinctively | crept toward tree.
and little by little the desire for es-
cape began to stir in my dazed brain.
When 1 was within foot or two OF
the tree the tiger mado q great
bound. seized mo in her jaws and
carried me back to the spot whence
I had started. why thought to
myself, "this is just exactly the way
cat plays with mouser' At the
same moment n cloud seemed to roll
Off my brain. No words OF mine can
describe the measureless and sicken-
ing horrors OF that moment, when
realization was thus suddenly flashed
upon me. At the shock my rife
slipped from my relaxing fingers;
but ! recovered 1t desperately. with
sensation as II l had been falling
over a prccipice.
Again the cubs began mauling mo.
repellcd them gently. at the same
time looking to my rifle. | saw that
there was cartridge ready to be
projected into the chamber. ! re-
membered that the magazine was
not more than half empty. started
once moro to crawl away. with tho
cubs snarling over me and trying to
hold me; and 1t was at this point
realized that my left shoulder was
broken. Having crawled four or Eve
feet, l lot the cubs turn me about,
whereupon craxled back toward
the old tiger, who lay blinking and
actually purring. 1t was plain that
she had had good meal not long
before. and was, therefore. in no
hurry to dispatch me.
Within about three feet OF tho
boasts striped foreshoulder
stopped and fell over on my side, as
II oil but exhausted. My rifle barrel
rested on little tussock. The beast
moved her head to watch me. but
evidently conside .ed me past all pos