Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-28
In front and on other sides the view was
open. except for some scattered bushes and
A Forest Drama.

In front and on other sides the view was
open. except for some scattered bushes and
trees
A Forest Drama.
Stoiid and unfmagfnative must that man
be who can try machan shooting and cry
1t down. OF all positions It is that in which
most is to be seen Of animal life. Of wild
beasts and their ways. They seldom look
up-the larger ones never-unless their at
tention is attracted; thus that strange show
OF the wilderness which opens amid the
solemn gathering Of shadows goes on I'M
interrupted by the hunters presence.
Our scene was changing. At first, but for
the wide circling flight Of birds of prey.
heaven and earth seemed empty. But now
bats and flying foxes wheeled through the
dusky air and big horned owls fitted by on
mufi1ed wings. The bison's deep-toned bel
low echoed on the mountain side, hoarse,
somber barks sounded through the jungle.
q great rock monkey doomed from some
distant cliff and everywhere there was a
stir OF reawakening life and movement Of
forms momentarily visible.
Here Chinneah's low tones broke In upon
my revery, saying, in soliloquy, Ram!
Ram! Rant Truly it is not q man" What
10 not q mani" asked. '"That," he an
swered. pointing to the half-eaten remains
before us. And who" rejoined, irritated
in the name Of all devils whatsoever sup
poses that 1t is a mani" "Oh, utterer Of
emptinesS!" BE not enraged, Sahfb," the
Shikar replied, "Roa Dass, the uncle Of my
wifes cousin''-and here. crouched on the
Platform like a hobgoblin, he told tale
OF diablerie. which. seeing that about three
hundred millions Of men, mostly belonging
to OUT own stock, look upon the supersti-
ton which forms its basis as an unques-
tionable fact, may be repeated without
apology. 'Roa Dass," he repeated, was
patel, his herds were fat and his gwallas
many. Once in the jungle. while man.
rot f.ff 60 drfuarc
of cattle, sat on his buffalo and sang,
tiger burst forth an tore him down. Thou
XII owest, protector of the poor. the GUS
tom Of those beasts. How, when the
to fight. which the tiger declines. for, tru-
ly, claws and teeth are as nothing before
q hundred pairs OF horns. When Rao
Dass came, with those who followed him.
he mourned, saying, this was a good man
whom 1 will avenge. Let him lie there for
a space; the tigers destiny will bring him
back. and from this tree will send him to
hell with my matchbox. What words are
these. Oh, patel? Bholonauh. the copper
smith. returned. Dost thou not know that
those who die by wild beasts are inimical to-
ward the living? That their spirits guide
a maneater and sit upon his head. Not for
the youth-giving leaf Of Serendib would I
watch here. But Rao Dass was bold man.
and even as beast in obstinacy; there
fore he did what he had said. Yet I say
not. sahib. but that his heart smote against
stir within the jungle. and he looked down
upon the face Of the dead. There lay the
body till the beast came and stood looking
from distance. Then its arm was raised
and the hand pointed at Rao Dass, and his
liver became as water for he saw that its
spirit was with the tiger. But his fame
was great. and he encouraged himself and
remembered what he had sworn. Thus,
while that son Of the devil was gone he de-
scended and staked the hand fast. But
this evil one returned. and the body rolled
on Its side and put forth the other arm"
The Tiger.
Here Chfnneah's eyes, which had been
sweeping the surroundings necessarily riy-
sted themselves upon a clump Of bushes
opposite. and the next instant an immense
tiger stood before us. His close black
bands. with rich. fuivous fnterspaces, show
Cd him to be in his full maturity. Certain
iy he was beautiful. with diabolical
beauty such as no irnate Of q cage ever
possesses. when. with soft, yet heavy
tread and cleaning eye and glistening fang
the uEdisputed lord Of Indian wastes ap-
preached his prey. A ball from the Purdy
No. 10 missed his head. which was held
high, as tigers at view constantly hold It,
but the line was true, and IT crashed
through his spine before the hips. his body
limbs
There are many thirgs which will not 20
into words. What followed was one of
them. Inglis tried to paint that awful, IL
impotent. outburst OF rage. Sir Samuel
Baker describes a lion thus shot on the
upper White Nile, others have depicted a
tigers death rally, but In face Of the sight,
language only belittles 1t That convulsed
form tearing at itself. and striving with
tremendous roarings to grapple. must be
left to fancy A bullet In the brain speedily
ended his suffering, and Chinneah, after
an tmmemorial custom of his kind, cut of
the long bristly mustache. and irsufted the
-
remotest generations. Then we built a big
fire. for in these attitudes the nights are
cool, brought out creature comforts, and,
ing exhilarated by another victim to his
sons names. talked in a way the writer
devoutly wishes that he could reproduce