The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-05-27
SHOOTING A BIG TIGER.
fRB DRAMA OF a DAYS HUNT IN
aHH INDIAN MOUNTAJNs'
ne Sspsrssissen Of the Hindeo-"s'nnE
a . uaehan for the Lsrd Of the JAM
ris-Ths rage Of the Wounded.

sSaNib," said the shikari, me passe'
IN the night" and as conclusive p'oo
chinneah pointed to one OF the tise'
big. square pugs. crossed by faint pa
allsI xig.xags-the tracks Of beetie ''"'
never xtirs abroad by day. ,,sc.
We stood at a chur. meetins r
Of ravines, in the Animaliia. OF In.' IN,
mountains. 1t was the heart on tn. .,
country" the great naturai ,or as
the world, a region unma zane
niger hunting is a matter OF aiIhoss
scienf,ac accuracy. Different mooes vi
oyocsedure must be adopted accofu'ns
a. .be animal k n hunting tiger cav,
tis litter, or q man eater WIN
20 this last. people VINO Know
they are about never go OUT a'tei -
80 ,hn.e most dangerous and cunning oi
ali beasts OF prey without being prepal.u
Tor a prolonged chase. But no SPORTS
man thinks OF starting on Oh user
track under the circumstances IN winch
we were placed. oa
.-n.d,,,on there would have been little
d,sscu,tv. barring accidents, In bringing
sh,s brute 70 book. But except those ser
want. whom custom makes essential IN
Ind,a- with a few crackers Of the forest
tribe called Mulcers, Chinneah, ana my
self were alone.
A lure FOR THE TIGER.
=, ,rr case there was no need OF coun-
ell. because practically the only way OF
getting within range Of this tiger was 10
bu,id a machan and make sure that ne
could have occasion TO come there Inc
first thing TO be done was TO get TWO
or three Young bufYaloes. Now THE gem
lie Hindu" will by no means sell them
for such a purpose He says that MS
soul would go through great number
of bells IL he did. They will be In toward
sunset. ne remarks. and you know what
this means and wait. When evening
comes. having given the price TO re-
ceiver. you go out and find the buffaloes
tied up 10 bushes with straw ropes.
To place them as tiger bats needs
knowledge OF the ground. Likewise they
must be in good condition. or brute
Of this kind. accustomed TO choose the
best animals. will inspect the captive
and turn away. II tiger happens TO be
young, however. ne will kill it for sport
and practice. Finally. the lures must be
secured In such way as not TO suggest
design. None OF the great cats are so
suspicious as tigers. They are always
looking out for traps. and an animal so
hampered as not 10 seem as IL II had
been caught by accident would scarcely
ever be touched
This may seem a cruel thing to do.
but II is the only means in many cases
OF comprising such a destroyers death.
and II should be remembered that one Of
these will kill at an average an OK or
COW every four days. thus causing an an
imal loss to the community of about
$500. II not slain this may go on for
years. Apart from that. a direct menace
10 human life is involved in its existence,
for man eater. except under very I'M
usual circumstances. always begins by
killing cattle. then attacks herdsmen and
ultimately descends upon the villages.
Messengers were dispatched for live
stock and i doZed and read and smoked
the pipe OF contemplation over Chinneah's
performances. He had little, ugly, dis
reputable idol. This he lugged about in
bag TO work miracles, and, as soon as
the tiger business was definitely entered
into. my head huntsman set to work 10
secure Its aid. The manikin was propped
UP on a rock its neck wreathed with wild
flowers and the face painted bright red.
Pieces of cocoanut and a pile of rice
were placed in front of It and Chinnesh
prayed. His prisons could not have been
according TO the ritual of any special
sect, because the Manu-Smriti or Hbly
law, pronounces professional hunters to
be little better than outcasts. However
that may have been, his concluding re-
marks. which were in the nature OF a
personal communication, contained the
pith Of what he had to say. His swamy
was requested to take notice that he had
been carried about good deal Of late
V,ttbout INV adya ba Aidn,t
owe him anything, having promptly paid
for all his services-so few that often &
had occurred to his mind to leave him IN
the jungle. Now was the time to bestir
himself and get the better of those devils
who protected tigers. That being done ar
rack enough 10 make him as drunk as
silva should be his. but If he was idle,
let him look out.
THE TRAP SET.
BY nightfaii all was arranged; the buffa-
Toes mad been staked out, rifles cleaned
ana hunting gear made ready. The forest
awoke to the full intensity Of its noctur-
nal life. and sounds foated from it's
depths that quickened the pulse as they
brought 10 mind possibilities that might
be realized at any moment Chinneah's
tall. gaunt form stalked into the circle OF
light, and was followed by the Mulcers,
who seated themselves with grave deco
rum. Then, seeing that such was my
wish. they talked. exchanging Views and
accounting experiences. .t,..
While yet jungle cocks were Growing
shrilly. and only the loftier peaks blazed
above a world still wrapped in deepest
gloom. our scouts went out. and by the
time breakfast was over we had the
cheering intelligence that one OF our lures
was killed. This account, Of course, came
with oriental amplitude In all its pro-
portions, so ] mounted a tattoo that
could climb like a cat and started off.
accompanied by my gang. TO see the
spot. Unmistakab1e signs told the story
Of last nights tragedy. What happened
was as plain as print. The tiger came
from a neighboring ravine, and after
a faghion followed In many Instances by
these cruel brutes. his attack had been
delayed. as II 10 enjoy his victims terror.
A few long bounds brought him within
springing distance; then he deliberately
walked up. passed round and round the
place where II was plunging at its stake.
and finally killed II.
With his immense strength there was
no difficulty In dragging the body free
and. as Is almost invariably the case IL
had been conveyed toward water. and
lay beneath some bushes on the nalas
edge. The buffalo had been seized in
front. as Its wounds showed Then. pro-
baby becoming impatient at its struggles
or excited by the blood he was drinking
the fierce beast wrenched round its head
and broke It's neck. After which he drag.
ged the carcass Off, ate most OF the hind
quarters, and was now living I'D some