Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-01-18
Fought to the Death.

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the remote forests of South Ameri-
ca. The battle was watched from
beginning to end by Manuel, the
tiger hunter. The duel was be-
tween a spotted tiger and beacon.
strictor.
1t was in the afternoon OF hot
day that Manuel walked softly
down the path that led to the camp
but upon this occasion he was
creeping along with unusual steal.
thiness, for he had a pretty clear
idea that tiger was walking along
the path short distance in front
of him. At tho proper time he
would attract the tigers attention
and offer him battle. Within a few
hundred yards of his hut the hun
ter became aware, from subtle AMI
NAL instinct, that the tiger had
stopped in the path.
The hunter paused and listened.
There was rustling in the leaves
and a stirring in the underground
that he did not quite understand.
Undoubtedly the tiger found some-
thing that attracted his attention.
The rustling ceased for a moment,
but began again a trife more vig-
orously. Then came a low muffled
growl and thrashing from side to
side. The hunter crept forward
like a shadow. At curve in the
path he stopped short. A strange
thing was going on in the narrow
path few yards before him.
A tiger was pacing back and forth,
with his tail waving and his hair
bristling in sudden anger In front
of him lay huge boa-constrictor,
coiled ready for spring. The big
snakes eyes shone like diamonds
in the sun, and his tongue darted in
and out like forked lightning, His
great coils were quivering with rage
and fury. What had stirred up
those two wild creatures to a pitch
of anger Manual was unable to say.
The snake had probably been in the
path, about to seize some small
animal, when the tiger appeared
and broke the spell. The tiger
wanted the right of way, or, at least,
the chance to pass on one side; but
the snake only lighted it's coils and
stood its ground, with unmistakable
signs of an aroused fighting dispo-
sition.
This annoyed the quadruped to
such an extent that he showed his
teeth, growled and thrashed his tail.
1t was at this instant that the hun
ter came along the path and stop
ped. Neither the snake nor the
tiger saw him, and he stepped
quickly behind a cactus bush to
await his opportunity of being in
at the death.
1t very soon became apparent
that there was to be a fight. Both
creatures grew more angry each mo-
ment, and, watching it all with in
tense interest, the hunter smiled as
one might smile who noted the con-
dition of favorite gladiator.
While Manuel thought these
thoughts these two wild things in
the path moved back and forth, as
though sparing for an opening
The snake was alert with sullen
anger, his glistening head darted
here and there like flashes of light.
The tiger was not so vindictively
savage, but his spotted hide quiver-
ed with wave upon wave of rising
anger.
At length the tiger, unable to re-
strain his rage, leaped at the SER
pent's swaying head like a dazzle of
light, but the snakes head was not
there. The tiger landed in the path
the other side of the snake, but al
most before he had touched the
ground glistening coil had been
thrown over him. He gave thrill
ing cry and leaped fully dozen feet
in the air. He landed safe and un-
harmed on his own side of the path,
a little shaken up, perhaps, but
still full of good fighting blood.
The snake was back in an instant,
coiled ready for defense. The tiger
crouched in the path as if about to
spring. The snake quivered with
nervous preparations. The hunter
caught his breath in quick anticipa-
ton. This was the critical moment.
Furious beyond all control the two
wild creatures sprang upon each
other in the same instant. For a
scant second there was poised in the
air a yellow blur, wrapped about
with great glistening coils like the
trunk Of small tree, and then the
snake and tiper rollad in tho duet