Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-12-15

When we had spent IL nights seeking
to lure a tiger into one OF the pits or traps
and thus capture him alive for tho great
German dealer, one Of our native hunters
came in one morning and said:
"Sahib, the trouble is that the tigers
have grown tired of the meat of goats and
bullocks. They arc hungry for human
flesh, but they can get none because the
villagers refuse to move out by night We
must change our bait"
But we can't bait tiger with hu
man being" protested.
why not? On two occasions 1 have
baited tigers, and tonight I will do IL
again. Last night n fine tiger provided
around the pit in the path crossing the
little valley, but so particular that he
would not even strike down the live goat
tied to the stake. He has laid up for the
day in thickot only half n mile away,
and tonight he shall find mo in place OF
the goat"
The idea at first struck me with a cole
chill, but when the man had fully OK
planned himself / realized that IL was sim
ply matter of nerve. Just beyond where
a nullah, or creek, crossed well beaten
path used by animals alone re had dug
pit 10 feet long, feet wide and Is feet
deep. We had covered the hole with limbs
and grass and dirt, hut over the center
had small platform, on which n goat
was made fast. \ tiger, panther. wolf OF
hyena springing upon him must break
through and fall into tho pit. There
were no panthcrs about, and the wolves
and hyenas seemed to know that the bait
was for his royal highncSs alone, and they
did not bother with it. There were tiger
about, hut they had either become suspi-
cious or did not come upon the halt until
after hunger was satisfied.
What the native proposed to do was &c
lcngthen the pit by thrcc feet and drive
down stakes to partition off n space fuI
himself at the far end In other words
he would plan to have the tiger leap int
the pit in making his spring. In length
Gning the pit we dug down only four feet
a rough platform with u trapdOor covered
this extension. When the man stood in
the pit, his head and shoulders Were above
the platform. He must, as the tiger
bounded at him. bc quick enough to sink
down and close tho door.
Not n white man in the whole of India
would have taken such "A risk, and doubt
II money could have Influenced one native
in 10, 900. In tree only 20 feet away We
erected n platform that we might be spec
tators OF tho game. Tho hunter insisted
on this, as he wanted Us at hand tn shoot
the tiger in case there was any miscar
riage in his programme.
There Were two of us on the platform,
and the hunter was in his pit before the
sun went down. Twilight had scarcely
come when the moon showed herself, and
except for nm occasional spot we could
have traced q mouse creeping along the
path. We knew that Mt least one tiger
had his lair III the thickct above, and
night after night we had heard him growl
ing as he came down to the nullah Il
drink his fill before setting out on his
hunt. We had been in position about
half an hour when we heard him coming
The wind was blowing toward US, and IL
brought his s1larls and growls as he awoke
from sleep and yawned and stretched and
perhaps mennced a hyena who dared &c
look ut him. Five minutes later and
while he was yet hidden from sight by n
turn in the path we could hear the thud
of his footsteps on the hard path. He
must have been very thirsty, for he came
trotting along without n look to right OF
left, and his tail dragged behind him.
"Stopl Wait minute!' shouted the
native when the tiger was within 30 feet
of the pit.
Had the animal received an electric
shock he could not have been more aston.
ishcd nor gathered himself more rapidly.
In five seconds nc was all tiger-eycs blaz
ing, tail switching, ears up and ono paw
held few inches from the ground rs IL &C
strike. As he saw that he had n man he
fore him he growlcd in n way to make the
blood tin9le, and the native pointed at
him and shouted:
II have been waiting for you. Men
have told mo that you are brave. but dc
not believe it. have come out here all
alone to take you by the cars and make
you whine like puppy"
The tiger was furious Mt hearing the
mans voice. He crouched down as IL &c
spring, but gave it up and began to sneak
forward, and as no advanced his tail beat
the bushes on either side of the path, and
his claws grated and clicked on the hard
spots.
Don't fear for me, sahibs, " called the
native, and then he shook his fists Mt the
tiger and called him names and dared him
to come on.
For long minute the beast stood direct
" beneath us and only 20 feet below, seem
ingly suspecting n rusc, and he might have
gone off had not the native flung dirt at
him and started his temper anew. He
crouchcd down, pulled himself along, and
the tapelinc showed he was exactly IL feet
away when he made his spring. We had
our eyes ON him, yet so rapid was the
movement that we lost him. As ho rose
IN tine air tho nhtlNc uTOIpcu unNH anu
shut the door. We heard the bang OF the
door and the drop of the tiger at the same
instant He alighted on the platform,
but the boards gave no hold to his claws,
and he slid on to the covered pit and went
through, with n crash and n roar of rage.
"Sahibs, you see mel" shouted the
hunter as he popped up through tho door.
II am not hurt, and ] do not tremblc. ]
timed him to n second He thought he
would eat a man for a change, but he will
have to take n goat instead. Come down.
sahibs, come down and let me introduce
you to n fine. fat tiger who wants to make
n voyage across the OCEAN
We had n captive worth 5000 at that
time. presented the man with bag of
coins valued at about 81 in American
money, and he offered to repeat the trick
every night in the week. Two weeks
later at n spot 80 miles away he 'baitcd'
again, but this time he was n second too
late, and the tiger seized him and tore
him to pieces before we could fire n shot.
NJ. QUAD.