Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-20


II beg to represent that my eyes have seen
the tracks Shall 1 dehle my lips with
fasehood, and say they were made by that
accused one whom your highnesses seek?
Ui-humd-ui-i God forbid! / am a
stranger summoned by my lords. Whether
it was a panther or tigress. of which these
were the pugs, how can l say, who know
not this beast? The sahibs will bear wit
ress If 1 lie. A tigress might have drank
from the pool. or the spotted devil. even
this man-eater himself. II have not
known how the footprint was made, in
what way shall your servant recognize it?'
1t was true enough. There was no sharper
or better trained sight in Central India
than that of Po'dam Singh, but no man
can distinguish, In a trail observed for
the first time between the track of a large
male panther and that Of a tigress. There
Is, however, a physiognomy, so to speak,
in footprints, and II such shikari as he
who spoke. once identified an animal with
it's pugs. they would be known again for
certain. Something is in those impressions
that civilized men do not see.
Its Tribute of Human Lives.
The deeds of the brute we sought are
green in the memories of this people. It's
ravages were of a kind not easily forgotten
even among Hindus when a panther
takes to man-eating," says Captain James
Forsyth, speaking Of this same animal "he
is far worse than a tiger" Every hunter Of
large game is well aware that of all great
cats 1t Is the bravest most stealthy and
daring, most enterprising and cunning,
the hardest to find and bring to bay, the
most desperate and determined when 1t
makes stand. For more than a year this
one had so acted that all within the region
of its depredations lived ever in the shadow
of death. The beast sprang upon husband
men from milk bushes fringing the paths
leading to their bajree and millet fields, it
slaughtered the woodcutter at his work,
the post runner on his way, the gwalla with
his herd. No woman drew water alone at
the village well except at peril of her life
No watchers gathered on those high plat
forms built among crops, in order that
animals invading them might be scared
away, without expecting to see the pam
Tiers fatal form to appear among them
When, with barbaric music. the guard was
set In gate towers, none knew what might
befal at his home that night The ordinary
defensive works of an Indian village were
no protection. Those frail walls and 1imsy
apertures belonging to Hindu dwellings
could not keep the panther out and in open
settlements it was worse still. A wife
awakened by the convulsive movements of
her husband, found this destroyer's fangs
liked III his throat Sitting outcry. If his
attack failed he swept around the tanks
seized some one else. All this may be
heard in Seorie, all of it can be read in
official reports. The creature killed more
than hundred human beings.
We waited for him on machans built by
paths shikaris swore he was certain to
pass We lay in scarms near water holes
where he was accustomed to drink Jungles
We're beaten with elephants, grass lands
secured, forests searched, and small armies
of natives passed through suspected ravines
with bombs and rockets, tom toms and
cholera horns and all the hideous uproar
they were capable of making. For six
weeks we sought this monster, sparing
neither ourselves nor others, and nothing
came of 1t but disappointment and exhaus-
ton. His murders never stopped. Then by
good luck solely, handful of scrap iron
was fired into him by a village shikari.
LaII ChOward's story.
I.all Chowdar told how It occurred in the
following manner:
Truly, when RamSolam, my mothers
brother, was slain. my heart failed. Ram
golam was a just man. but his household
were fools. They rcviled me. raging touba,
toula! shame! shame! Behold the dog who
pretends to be our defender against wild
beasts whilst his relations perish! May
he be accursed' The women cast dust upon
their heads and spat at me, crying, go
forth, oh, coward There are many who
know that your servant sought this beast
void of religion. and which could not be
found with diligence. Yet my Spirit was
oppressed, and I departed from these sense
less ones. going about two cos from the
village into forest land. In those woods
there was silence. but for the sound Of an
ak, and this stopped suddenly. Who am /,
oh. protectors of the poor, that 1 should
know why fear came upon me there and
chill, as IL the icy wind of death were
blowing. assembled tree with haste, and
sitting on high l saw him. He sucked the
blood Of Chetoo, the woodcutter, crouchng
on his body.
"Aiyah, This son Of Satan was too far
off. HIS head turned from me and he could
not he killed. II was my destiny. When
he deTarted l followed, knowing 1t was not
his custom to return to those he had killed.
The trail was long. but ne went to a nala
in which were caves, and / could see that
which he made his den.
Was l hot powerless, being but single
man, and with that evil one having the
advantage of place? 1t was pretended by
Abdullah Khan that he would have waited
and fired upon the panther as he came
forth. How should / do this thing when
the ground In front was bare and cover and
likewise trees were wanting? Truly j
come out. Therefore, / went away to the
village and spoke with Akbar and Moham-
med De, telling them these things, and
also that near by In this nala there was a
pool where he would surely drink. Close
by stood three rocks, whose sides were
straight. such as no panther could climb.
Let us await him there, 1 said. The moon
is full and he will be delivered into cur
hands.
But they demurred, speaking vainglor-
iously; their livers had turned to water
and they made excuses. Mashalla, the
evasions of towards are many. So 1t en-
tered into my heart to do this thing alone
your highnesses being afar-aud / turned
back again. going by another way, and
stopped in the Jungle and made a light
ladder out of bamboos. This 1 bore with
me- and 1t reached the top of that rock
which was nearest the water and his cave.
There was grass upon its summit and a
small acacia. There your servant lay hid.
1.-The evening wind blew softly. and the
heavens We're clear. Many creatures came
to drink when the sun was going down.
Monkeys. keeping order on account of their
wisdom, wild hogs, who wallowed. making
the pool unclear; deer also, and when the
moon rose an elephant very old and
fierce. He was enraged about nothing and
his tusks were like those of him who
tramp1ed the Captain Sahlb last summer,
when his bullet went astray. Later there
came a tiger, walking softly, with fiery
eyes. but the man-eater did not come. And
/ thought perhaps he is q devil But there
was a priest who had made poojah on ae-
count of certain rupees. a holy man, who
offered sacrifices with exactness, and he