The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-07-15
Man-Eating Tigers.
From the Allahabad Pioneer.

A correspondent, 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, de-
populated several villages and stopped work
over u greater part of forest division, in
spite of the most strenuous efforts made to
destroy her, efforts increased by the incen-
tive of 500 rupees reward offered for her
head. She began her career in July by
killing two women near forest village,
and by the end Of the following December
had killed at least thirty persons, becoming
bolder 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 threeor four
broad.
The country was such that she could
neither be tracked for any distance nor
driven by elephants or beaters. She would
not kill tied buffalo, nor would she go
became at last so bold that she would in
open daylight carry off men and women
when cutting the crops in the terraced
fields, stalking the unfortunates from above
back to a corpse if once disturbed. She
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 occasion village seemingly
deserted, but in reality in state of siege,
the inhabitants being afraid to draw water
from stream hundred yards from their
houses.
Work was commencing in the forests,
and in a short time the tigress learned to
stalk the sound of an axe, and made many
victims before the forest was proved to be
even more dangerous than the fields had
been. The method of attack adopted was
so sudden as to prevent any possibility OF
escape, the blow dealt so deadly as to
render even cry for help impossible. The
victim was dead and carried off before his
companions knew what had occurred.
The most strenous efforts were made for
her destruction-poison, spring guns, and
dead falls were inffectually resorted to, any
number of buffaloes were tied up at night,
and many time the fresh trail Of kill
was taken up in hopes of obtaining 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 file of soldiers were
reguisitioned to see what force could do to
remove this horrible animal, cunning having
been found of no avail. On being killed,
she was found to be young animal, in
perfect condition; the pad of her left fore
foot 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 small grass
hut in a somewhat wild forest, were cook
ing their food in the evening when tiger
suddenly sprang on one and carried him
off, His companion inundated 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 entrance and waited for
daylight. But this he never saw, for, after
a time, the tiger, emboldened by the in
creasing darkness, returned and, forcing
his way into the hut, carried off the unin-
jured 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. "0f the man-eaters 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 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 makes a man-eatipg tiger so
terrible