Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-05-22
PRESERVING i Sin.
IT WAS STILL ON Tt5 TIGER, hNc
THE TIGER WASN'T DEAD.
A Sportsman's Mistake Nearly Resulted In
the Loss of Human Life-After This an
Extra Hole In tho Hide VIII Not he
Such an Important Consideration.

thrcv miles from Kuttcnghur fort we Were
here told of "a tiger that had lately killed
very many bullocks, so we started with sew
eral men to look him up. We were take n
20 a favine in the plains named Loo.ee
and had taken up our position on rocky
! ledge when we were recalled by man
who had seen the tiger He directing us
60 the spot, we cautiously advanced, and
looking over the steep bank of the ravine
saw the tiger stretched out AT full length
just three yards or less below us He
looked up and grinned horribly. We in
stantly gave him "A bullet each, whcreupon
he sprang into the cover below and was
out of sight even before we could get a
second shot. On going down the bank we
soon found drops of blood and easily car
ricd these on for some distance down the
ravinc, when all AT once they entirely
ceased The ground was bare sheet rock,
or large slabs of nat stones; 50 no foot
prints could be discovered After going
on some little distance we met man
tending herd of goats who denied hay
ing seen the tiger pass, and indeed it was
but too evident from the unconcerncd
manner In which the goats browScd and
cropped tho bushes around that they had
seen no such formidable animal lately SO
We rctraccd out steps 10 again search for
the blood, when suddenly a man by signs
pointed to "a cave formed by large ledge
Of rock that had fallen from above We
knew his meaning, though it much sur
priscd us, for we had only just passed
close by this very place, looking for the
tigers prints.
All the men, as usual, were at once or
dcred 10 a safe distance in the rear, while,
placing our spare guns before us, we knelt
down To polish off this tiger at an unpleas-
antly close distance, for we were prevented
by steep bank behind us from going
farther back, and "A view could not be OBJ
tanned from any other point As II was,
all We could make out were the tigers
eyes shining very clearly in the dark cave
with an indistinct outline Of his face. We
silently agreed 10 fire together ON the
word, Zone, two, three, being given by
one Of us On the smoke clearing away.
we were delighted To see our foe stretched
ont stiff on his back, the white of his belly
being uppermost and very visible. On go
ing nearer, two small holes, one over each
eyebrow, from which streams of blood
flowed caused Us TO congratulate each
other on our good aim. We now walked
close up ana saw that the cave in which
this tiger had tried 10 hide himself, al
though it had but small entrance, was
large enough inside.
While talking over our lucky shots we
observed one of the tigers arms slowly
move, but rs if from mere muscular ac-
ton, caused by its weight and the posi-
ton the beast was lying in. ON noticing
this | suggested that another shot should
be given 10 make sure, but Little slightly
objected, on the ground that il was only
uselessly making holes and 50 spelling the
skin. On this | agreed 10 fire where our
knives would first be used in taking off
the victims jacket, SO at once, while we
were looking into the cave, without put
ting my gun to my shoulder, | placed its
muzZle opposite the tigers chest and fired
the remaining loaded barrel. All this time
the men, who from distance had seen us
SO near the tigers den, came running up
toward us in great state Of delight AZ
their enemy being killed, for so they and
we both thought was indeed the case. In
stead of which, no sooner had fired than,
with frightful roar ~ jumped the tiger,
IA lively ~ ever. With one bound Little,
who is remarkably strong and active,
gained the top of the high ledge of rock
that formed the tigers cave. Here 'e
kept guard with his spare loaded barrel
other guns we had left on the ground on
walking up to first look q. the tiger. For
my part, in the most dreadful state II
alarm l at once rushed through the men
who had now come up and were crowding
around us, upsetting three or four and
myself in so doing.
For the moment there was a terrible
panic, and, the ground being very uneven
and stony, everybody seemed To fall over
and trip up everybody else. Some climbed
small trees like monkeys, while others in
their fright ran clean out of sight without
stopping to look behind. All.Nis time the
tiger was roaring awfully' | fully be-
lieved that he was outside the cave, killing
each man rs he caught him, instead II
which, being much confused, he luckily
remained in the den, around and around
which he kept walking, seemingly with
out being able 10 find his way out. AT
last, gaining my legs, | snatchcd up "A gun
and climbed up a small thin tree just in
front of the den There were two men al
ready in this slight tree, SO its branches
bent down unpeasantly close 10 the
ground with our weight. From this point
l fired IL moro shots, at only rs many
yards distance, into this tiger before he
was quiet Only his fore arm and lower
part of his belly could bo hit every time he
appeared at the mouth of the cave. All
now being still, we came down from our
high posts and this time found the beast
really dead riddlcd with balls. The ap.
pearance of the ground was very laugh
able. Guns, drums, bows, spears shoes,
turbans. were scattered all over the place
Some poor fellows were sadly bruised IL
appeared that our shots had merely for the
time stunned this tiger missing his BRAIN
which lies in long narrow cell directly
between the eyes and on the extreme top
of the forehead. The shot i'm his chest
mos efTectually revived him.
. is was most extraordinary and lucky
esca, &c for all of Us, for, supposing him
quite dead, we should have begun to haul
him out Of the cave and ut once proceeded
Co skin him on the spot during which
operation the heaters usually all crowd
around and discuss the brute's death and
recall the losses he has occasionod in his
day Taking off his skin would, no doubt,
have revived the tiger, when the conse.
quenccs that might have ensued are terri
bic Co conceive Doubtless u!0re than one
life would have been lost. This little adj