Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-28

w, conclusive proof Chin
!: ): ! !:
M neah pointed to one
-S&SSMNMNA Of the tigers big
.76HEcSNNNN}iB square pugs, crossed
{fVY/HH8&NSS by faint parallel zig
i6Nf1f84GSAM' xags-the tracks Of a
tMUNkfSHH beetle that never
NMy$SS&<N stirs abroad by day.
>&$$$$$$N We stood at q chur,
N&\\S>~ q meeting place OF
M ravines, in the AMI
mallai or Elephant
mountains. It was the heart Of the hill
country" the great natural preserve Of the
world. q region unmatched for its variety
and abundance Of large game.
Tiger hunting is q matter of almost scien-
tific accuracy. Different modes of proceed
IRE must be adopted according as the ami
NAL Is hunting tiger. q cattle litter. or q
man eater. With regard to this last. peo-
pie who know what they are about never
go out after one Of these most dangerous
and cunning Of all beasts Of prey without
being prepared for a prolonged chase. But
no sportsman thinks Of starting OF on q
tigers track under the circumstances In
which we were placed.
If this had been a regularly organized
expedition there would have been little DIFF
ficulty, barring accidents, In bringing this
brute to book. But except those servants
with few crackers of the forest tribe
called Nulcers. Chinneah and myself were
alonA
A Lure for the Tiger.
In our case there was no need Of coun-
ell. because practically the only way Of
getting within range of this tiger was to
build q machan and make sure that he
could have occasion to come there. The
first thing to be done was to get two or
three young buffaloes. Now 1.-THE gentle
Hindu" will by no means sell them for such a
purpose. He says that his soul would go
through great number Of bells II he did.
They will be In toward sunset. he remarks,
and you know what this means and wait
When evening comes. having given the
price to q receiver, you go out and md the
buffaloes tied up to bushes with straw
ropes.
To place them as tiger bats needs q
knowledge of the ground. Likewise they
must be In good condition, or a brute Of
this kind. accustomed to choose the best
animals. viii inspect the captive and turn
away. If tiger happens to be young,
however. he will kill 1t for sport and prac-
tice. Finally. the lures must be secured
In such q 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
to seem as II 1t had been, caught by acct
dent would scarcely ever be touched
This may seem cruel thing to do, but
It is the only means in many cases Of COM
passing such a destroyer's death, and 1t
should be remembered that one Of these
will XIII at an average an OK or cow every
four days. thus causing an animal loss to
the community Of about $500. II not slain
this may go on for years. Apart from that
a direct menace to human life Is involved
in its existence. for man eater except
under very unusual circumstances. always
begins by killing cattle then attacks herds
men and ultimately deecends upon the VII
lagos.
Messengers were dispatched for live stock
and dozed and read and smoked the pipe
of contemplation over Chinneah's perform
ances. He had little. ugly. disreputable
idol. This he lugged about in bag to work
miracles. and. as soon as the tiger business
was definitely entered into. my head hunts
nan set to work to 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
pile OF rice were placed In front Of II
and Chinneah prayed: His prisons could
not have been according to the ritual Of
any special sect, because the Manu-Smriti,
or Holy Law, pronounces professional hunt
ers to be little better than outcasts. How
ever that may have been, his concluding
remarks, which were In the nature Of a
personal communication, contained the pith
of what he had to say. His swamy was re-
quested to take notice that he had been car
ried about good deal of late without any
advantage. That he didn't owe him any
thing. having promptly paid for all his
services-so few that often II 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 arrack enough to make
him as drunk as silva should be his, but II
he was IDLE. let him look out
The Trap Set.
BY nightfaI1 all was arranged; the buffa-
loes had been staked out rifles cleaned and
hunting gear made ready. The forest
awoke to the full intensity Of its nocturnal
life. and sounds hoated from its depths that
quickened the pulse as they brought to mind
possibilities that might be realized at any
moment. Chinneah's tall. gaunt form staIked
into the circle Of light AMI was followed
by the Mulcers, who seated themselves with
grave decorum. Then. seeing that such was
my wish. they talked. exchanging Views
and recounting experiences.
While yet jungle cocks were growing
shrilly, and only the loftier peaks blazed
above q world still wrapped in deepest
gloom. our scouts went out. and by the
time breakfast was over we had the cheer
ing intelligence that one Of our lures was
killed. This account, Of course. came with
oriental amplitude In all its proportions, SO
mounted a tattoo that could climb like q cat
and started of, accompanied by my gang
to see the spot. Unmistakable signs told tho
story Of last nights tragedy. What hap
pened was as plain as print. The tiger
came from a neighboring ravtne, and after
q fashion followed In many instances by
these cruel brutes. his attack had been de-
layed. as IL to enjoy his victims terror. A
few long bounds brought him within spring.
ing distance; then he deliberately walked
up, passed round and round the place where
1t was plunging at its stake. and finally
killed 1t.
With his immense strength there was no
difficulty In dragging the body free, and, as
is almost invariably the case, II 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. probably becoming impatient
at its struggles. or excited by the blood he
was drinking. the fierce beast wrenched
round Its head. and broke its neck. After
which he dragged the carcass off, ate most
Of the hind quarters, and was now lying vp
somewhere near until evening, when Il
might be expected that he would return.
The Machan.
A machan il q platform laid on the
boughs Of tree. and one whose limbs
spread at about fifteen feet above tho
ground stood at short range from the car
cass. Much has been written on the sub
ject Of machans and their proper construc-
ton. but the essential fact is that they
are inventions made to prevent single
hunters from being torn to pieces In con-
sequence Of the uncertainty Of aim attend