The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-06-27
Confined from Fourth Page.l

We advanced on hands and knees We
lad made a distance of half a mile
when we got a faint sniff of the odor
we had been expecting Fifty feet
farther it became so offensive that we
we're fain to hold our noses Just here
was water hole IS or 20 feet long
and the width of the creek. The water |
was not deep; but we knew we could
not pass through it without noise
enough to arouse the tiger. There
was a wall Of rock beyond the pool,
and we decided that our game was laid
away there. We were characterized as
idiots for doing what we did, but yet it
seemed the proper thing to do under
the circumstances Each of US picked
up a good sized stone and hurled 1t at
the wall, and they had scarcely struck
when the sleeping tiger sprang to his
feet with a savage growl While he
was not above 10 yards away we could
make him out but dimiy He was
turning round and round and shifting
the air when we fired together, and he
dropped dead When we lighted torch.
es and advanced, we found him to be
an old male with teeth worn down to
the gums and probably blind Of one
eye. He had committed havoc, how
ever and had we only wounded him
he would have charged US, and we
might have been numbered among his
victims. We certainly expected to find
the Casket where we found the tiger,
and great was our chagrin when we
failed to find any trace of it. The
body of the native seized that morning
had been about half eaten, and the re-
mains lay beyond the lair While
some of the human bones had doubt
less been carried off by the hyenas and
jackals during the tigers excursions in
search Of prey there were enough lying
about to make US believe he must have
feasted on at least a dozen human be
ings We found quite number Of
trinkets belonging to the unfortunates,
but we searched in vain for the Casket.
But for the fact of finding two or three
relics which were Identified as belong
ing to the robber we should have con
cluded that his wife told the story to
give him chance to escape pursuit
"Whlle you have failed to find it to-
day | am sure you will find it to-mor-
row." said the old man when we re-
turned to the village tired and dis
couraged. "The chain attached to the
casket was not strong one. The
tiger dragged and carried the man over
a very rough route fully half mile
The chain might have been broken at
any step. The Casket may even be III
one Of the water holes. Now that you
no longer have the tiger to look out
for, you can make more thorough
search
Next day we returned to the nullah
with torch bearers, and beginning at
the highway we searched every inch Of
ground and every water hole to the den
and beyond. We found more trlnkets
and a number of coins, but the Casket
was not there to be discovered After
we had thoroughly satisfied ourselves
of this fact, we decided that the woman
had deceived US. Her husband had
certainly been carried off and devoured
by the tiger, but she was probably
carrying the casket-and fled with it.
Knowing that she could prove her
story she had seCreted the casket
before entering the village and would
blde her time to get away with it,
When we informed the old man of our
conclusion, be agreed with US. By his
order the woman was about to
be tortured to eXtort confession when
Captain Horton asked leave to question
her again.
81 have told you the truth, sahib,
she said when brought before us. 81
did not know that my husband medi
tated stealing the casket. 1t was two
O'Clock in the morning when he
aroused me from sleep and com
handed me to 60 with him. We were
out of the village before he told mt
what he had done He would no
permit me to take the casket in my
hands. He did not tell me what il
contained, but talked of rupees.
tried to get him to return to the village
but he threatened my life"
"How did the tiger attack ?" asked
the captain.
"We were running. | was on m,
husbands left | think the tiger wa
crouched on the highway, as he seemed
to spring from IN front. When he Dor
ray husband down, he shook him ant
mopped him about and paid no atter
ton to me"
The woman's explanation gave US
new idea. As we were satisfied of tn
truth of her story she escaped punish
ment, and we promised the old man t
renew the search on the morrow. A
| have before mentioned, the woma
could not locate the exact spot Of al
tack. Those who had accompanied
her that morning had found the tiger
tracks in the dust for some distance. |
the morning we went straight to tn
crossing of the nullah and then worke
back, carefully searching the rank gras
and weeds on each side Of the highway
At almost the first move we routed on
and killed two poisonous serpents, bu
we persisted in the search. Thirty fee
back from the nulah, in the midst of
tangle Of vines, Captain Horton di!