The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-08-02

A correspondent of the Allahabad
(Hindoostan) Pioneer, writing on man
eating tigers, mentions the career of a
young tigress who. in the space of nine
months. killed some dozens of human
beings, depopulated several villages, and
stopped work over a greater part of a
forest division, in spite of the most
strenuous efforts made to destroy her
efforts increased by the incentive of
Rs. 500 reward offered for her head. She
began her career in July by killing two
women near a forest village. and by the
end of the following December had kill
ed at least thirty persons, becoming
holder and more cunning with each
fresh murder. Her beat lay in the foot
hills of the Himalayas, and she roamed
over an area twenty-five miles long by
three or four broad The country was
such that she could neither be tracked
Tor any distance nor driven by elephants
or heaters. She would not kill d tied
buffalo nor would she go back il once
disturbed. She became at last so bold
that she would in open daylight carry
on men and women when cutting the
crops in the terraced fields, stalking the
unfortunates from above and suddenly
Springing on them.
The terror of her ferocity spread
through the country. The villagers left
their homes for safer regions, and no
wonder. for the writer found on one oc-
caSion a village seemingly deserted, but
in reality in state of siege, the inhab-
itants being afraid to draw water from
a stream 100 yards from their houses.
Work was commencing in the forests.
and in short time the ugress learned
to stalk the sound of an ak and made
many victims before the forest was
proved to be even more dangerous than
he Sol L. 10 - III &c 81
tack adopted was so sudden as to pre-
vent any possibility of escape, the blow
dealt so deadly as to render even a cry
for help impossible. The victim was
dead and carried off before his
companions knew what had occurred.
The most strenuous efforts were made for
her destruction; poison, spring guns and
dead falls were Intellectually reSOrted to;
any number of buffaloes were tied up at
night. and many a time the fresh trail
of kill was taken up in hopes of OBJ
tanning shot at the tigress, but with no
further result than that of recovering
mangled or half eaten corpse. During
January and February this tigreSs had
killed fifteen to twenty more persons,
and at last a file of soldiers were requisi-
toned to see what force could do
70 remove this horrible animal, cunning
having been found to be of no avail. On
being killed she was found to be young
animal in perfect condition. The pad of
her left forefoOt had at one time been
deeply cut from side to side but had
thoroughly healed, leaving, however, a
deep scar. which proved her presence
wherever she roamed.
The writer mentions one instance in
which two cowherdS living in a small
grasshut in a somewhat wild forest were
cooking their food in the evening when
a tiger suddenly sprang on one and
carried him off. His companion intimi-
dated the animal with shouts and
threats and succeeded in making him
leave his victim Carrying his wounded
companion into the hut the man closed
the entrances and waited for daylight.
But this he never saw, for after a time
the tiger, emboldened by the increasing
darkness, returned, and forcing his way
into the hut, carried off the uninjured
man, who was doubtless doing all he
could to prevent the tigers approach.
The other who was first seized died Of
his wounds and of terror the next day
after relating the story to those who had
found him. "Of the man eaters L have
known none have been old or decrepit
animals driven to feed on human beings
because they could not obtain other food.
They lived in a country full of game
and where cattle were plentiful, but they
had lost their fear of man, and trusting
in their superior strength and cunning
had no difficulty in satisfying their
hunger. At the same time they seemed
to recognize that an armed man was
dangerous and that they must be doubly
on their guard to avoid falling into a
trap. 1t is this apparent knowledge of
man and his habits, amounting in some
instances almost to reason. that renders
a man-eating tiger so terrible