The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-07-11
A TIGERS SPRING,


great trees, with an open plain all
about as. Behind us was small creek,
now nearly dry, and between us and
the creek, distance of hundred feet,
we're two bushes in line and about
twenty feet apart. To have glanced
around him one would have said there
was not enough cover tor hare to APP
proach us unperceived.
The four of us came in early one
afternoon after having failed to rout
out tiger which had been marked
down four or five miles away. We had
dinner bit earlier than usual, and the
sun was still three-quarters of ali hour
high when we carried our camp chairs
outdoors and sat down for a smoke.
There had been a shower that after
noon, and the evening was delightfully."-
pleasant We sat down in the form OF
a square with the chairs perhaps six
feet from the common center. Major
Grill was exactly in line with the bushes,
back to them, and | was exactly in
front of him. To my right and hun
dred feet away were the three tents of
our natives, and our horses we're staked
out and grazing. 1t was a scene Of
peace and quietness, and no man had
the remotest idea of danger.
"What is it, Colonel. Looking for
snakes again? Ha ha ha !"
The Major was telling us about
shooting his first tiger, and l had inter-
rupted him to stand up and peer over
his head. Somewhere between us and
the creek l had caught movement
something like the flight of a shadow
made by a waving branch.
sat down after half a minute,
rather ashamed of myself, and the
Major went on with his story. While
| listened | looked straight over his
left shoulder, and it was perhaps ten
minutes when detected the same
movement again. This time | thought
| caught fleeing glimpse Of the tip
of tigers tail, and even my look of
wonder and anxiety was ridiculed.
"Why, man, the sight of those tiger
tracks to-day has unstrung your nerves"
exclaimed the Major, after a roar of
laughter. "However, we've all been
new at the business in our time, and
can sympathize with you.
Men dread ridiCule | settled back
to pay closer attention to the Majors
story, and looked in every direction
except over his shoulder, Five min
utes had passed and the trees above US
were casting long shadows toward the
creek when | glanced at the bush
again. My eyes had scarcely turned
that way when | detected a movement
through the foliage of the nearest bush.
1t was near the roots Of the bush, and
| wondered if it wasn't pheasant seek
ing her nest.
"Why, man, you're looking over my
shoulder again. laughed the Major,
"Come, now, but what is it? Let's all
stand up and have look. Does any
one behold the 1.-the, striped body OF
the dreaded man eater stealing upon
his human prey? Which of us has he
selected When does the banquet
come off? Upon my word, Colonel,
but you must get bracer on your
nerves or you'll miss your first tiger at
the muzzle of your rifle"
was indignant with myself for hav-
ing attracted such general attention,
but the Major had not been seated
three minutes when my eyes wandered
to the bush again. saw the same
movement as before, but there was
something in addition. caught CLINT
of fire, as if live coal had been passed
from right hand to left. That l believed
to be FREELY. | had partly turned
my head when something took to be
a great bird rose above the bush and
came sailing toward US. 1t allghted
half way between us and the bush, rose
again as if on wings, and next instant a
man eating tiger crushed Major Grill tc
the earth. AS he alighted upon the
unfortunate officer he struck power
full blow with his right fore paw, anc
that blow killed the man stone dead.
"a tiger A tiger p | heard thu
servants shouting, but l did not move
Neither did the others. 1t had CONF
so swiftly and so Unexpectedly that w
were paralyzed for the moment Th'
beast seized the Major by the shoulder
gave him three or four shakes, and thel
let 20 and stood with his fore feet Oh
the body and looked at us and growle'
and licked his chops. He made
circle in shaking the body, and his lonI
tail struck our legs as he moved. Hal
a dozen of the servants ran into tn
tent and armed themselves, but the
hadn't the nerve to fire. The tlge
turned and faced them, his eyes CLEAN
ing and his fangs displayed, and
steady hand and true eye could hav
dropped him with bullet. The ma
tives kept backing away from him an
finally threw down the guns an
srambled up into the trees. Then tn
tiger turned and glared at us and keE
up low growing, No man moved
finger. After long minute the bea'
seized the body by the shoulder, CAV
:, n ,,y,ct Quar- his n ,Ck and went off ,