The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-05-30
HUNTING IN INDIA
Hunters Train the Panther tc
Catch Deer,
Hindoos Caro- Nothing for Amusement On.
less Accompanied by Physical Suffering
Or Great Oangef-Battle of Hands
and the Swinging Festival

India is a land of sport, but occident-
ais are always much surprised to find
that sport, to be appreciated by the
average mild Hindoo, must have some
! thing cruel about it, either to man or
beast. 1t is to India, by the way, that
Europe and America owe polo, (which
was introduced into British canton
ments by the Manipuris. Hindoos are
great cock fighters, says writer in the
San Francisco Chronicle. Large sums
of money are spent on these contests,
nor are the birds furnished with spurs
to make the combats still more SAN
culinary. The cocks use only natures
weapons and the wounds inflicted are
severe enough to satisfy the Hindoo
craving for bloody spectacles. OF horse
racing the Hindoo is passionately fond;
and race will practically close ali
business. The government printing
Offices at Allahabad have on occasions
been closed because the compositors
abandoned their cases to see the races.
A steeplechase where there is every
possibility of some one being thrown
exerts a wonderful fascination on the
people, who do not hesitate to cali
themselves the greatest physical cow
ards in the world. Their hunting, too,
is Of the cruel order. Panthers, or, as
they are called IL. India, cheetahs. are
trained to pursue deer and kill them.
There is no risk attaching TO the hunt
ers. but there is a great deal of danger
to the unfortunate shekari who trains
the ferociOw beast. The panther is
blindfolded, leash is placed around
his middle, and he is thus lea to the
plain where deer can be found, or to
where the deer have been driven by a
swarm of heaters. The assemblage,
mounted upon elephants or horses or IN
conveyances. keep respectful distance
from the cheetah, who is led into the
open and the hood Quietly removed and
the leash slipped. The cheetah, when
furiously hungry, has been known to
turn upon his trainer as the quickest
prey, and this is the supreme, the ago
niNng moment. The cheetah stands
straight, his forelegs stiffening and his
tail slowly moving. He purrs like
huge cats looks angrily around him.
then. crouching, bounds after his prey.
The cheetah catches his victim and,
selling it by the throat, buries his
fangs deeply, sucking in the blood
with greedy gasps. The trainer APP
proaches gently, SO gently that his
football can scarcely be heard. Tho
cheetah is growing ominously. His
tail beats his sides in ferocious impa-
thence. Quietly the man steals toward
the-crouching beast and slips the hood |
over the eyes; then the leash is passed !
around and all danger is averted. |
The head of the deer has to be sew
cred. still leaving in the cheetah's |
mouth goodly lump of bleeding
flesh. There is nothing very sports
manlike in this performance, but |
there is great deal of danger attach
ing to it, and that danger devolves
upon one man. There have been cases !
where the panther has absolutely re- |
fused to chase the deer, but has devot- |
ed his entire time and attention to the !
hunting party. Then the game was not |
voted success.
A vilainous amusement in India is
that called panjan. Itconsists in lock-
ing hands and seeing who can be made |
TO kneeL There is no fun in it. but
still 1t IS assiduously cultivated and
hands are daily being broken in this
name form of sport Kite-fying is
national affair and bets Of the most ex-
traordinary magnitude are made as to
who shall cut his opponents string.
The swinging festival, or churruls
ooojah, is another form of pleasure
which could only satisfy q race natu-
ally cruel. There is now a good deal
If correspondence between the India
'tfice and the government of Calcutta.
With view of stopping this detest-
'ble sport Hundreds of Europeans
7isit the scene and leave immeasurably
iisGussed, but the natives find much to
'njoy in it and beat their tom toms.j
md blow their pipes with great gusto
While the poor victims are swinging in
nMair. This sport has some remote
with religious rite, and
he men who permit themselves to be
hus tortured are probably fulfilling
ONE hideous vow. Vows in India are
O~AA~OAAs oiAN III WV CaA avail I
is performance inhicts some dreadful
upon the body. The affair
; thus managed: A devotee has hook
'assed through the muscles Of his back,
which hook is tied to the end of a ..
rosspole. This beam can be tilted for |,
ne express purpose of having victims !
astened to it. After the man is Sc ]
urely dashed to the pole he is lifted ,
p into the air with his hands folded
n the chest and the body fairly hang .
1g blythe hooks. There is no other {
upport. The muscles of the back
lone hold him to the hook. The pole
then rotated by pulling on the ropes
t the counterbalance end, its attach
lent on the vertical part permitting
I free rotation. This gentle amuse-
lent the Indian government intend to J
bohsh, but whether it will be done a
-ithout serious trouble is question.
Cruel Sport. I
The Hindus are great swimmers, and
vim dog fashion, with their hands and r
let beating the water The reason of