The San Francisco call., 1896-02-15

the torches used; and fire, coupled with tn
presence of half dozen determined men, seem
to COW him utterly; but not always so, and or
one or two occasions the risk has been consid
cradle in consequence Of q charge knocking
out the lights While working with US ou
men have been unarmed, and no tiger ha
touched them, but one can fancy the terribl,
damage that would be done did the beast ge
among them, which he certainly would do die
they lose their nerve or presence of mind
They are, however, fully alive TO this fact and
acknowledge that their only safety is in boldly
facing b i'm.
An accident happened few days ago to the
head man, who is now laid up in the hospital
Unfortunately we were not present on this
OCCASION; but had We been, we could scarcely
have done more than kill the beast as he was
escaping. it appears that having tracked 6
tiger TO q ravlne, The men determined to block
him in pending our arrival. They lit theiI
torches, and were at the entrance of the rocks
when he charged OUT among them, and bit one
unfortunate through the leg, besides iufiicting
numerous claw wounds How the Others
escaped is mystery; but he simply seemed to
give this one man q reminder in passing, and
then continued his course over the country.
We believe that had the men been only a few
feet within the line of rocks, they would have
beaten or frightened him back.
One OF our party had a narrow escape some
time ago, as, in following up tigress, he first
became aware of her presence by seeing her
crouched on ledge OF rock some ten yards off
on his left, g projecting bowlder preventing
her being seen until his eyes met hers. He no
sooner attempted to bring his Express to bear
than with a roar she sprang for his head, and
would infallibly have fetched it had he not
jumped back quickly, while, RS she came at
right angles, she had to turn, which allowed
two Express bullets to be fired into her by the
explorer and friend who was behind him. In
her rush she knocked out the torches,
which were held as usual on long bam boos,
and came with full weight against
the hunters spears, VINO manfully opposed
her. She made one or two more determined
rushes, and it was only the seventh bullet, in
the eye, which killed eer. On skinning she
was full OF wounds, as may be imagined; one
shot being in the typically exact position be-
hind the shoulder. This beast was dou btless
one OF those of uncommon vitality and fierce
ness, and the experience shows that at pinch
shot from a .571 Express Is by no means the
absolutely certain stopper one could wish.
1t will no doubt surprise many an Indian
sportsman who may read this to know that in
the places where he almost lnfallibly loses a
tiger We should almost as surely bag him. Our
men, however, will not face covert, but de-
pend on the animal homing in rocky rcvine,
where they deal with him satisfactorily
good many natives have been killed by
tigers in this country during the past two
years. Several fatalities are attributed to one
particular beast who rejoices in a deformed
foot. and whom we have been after many a
time without success.
At dusk the doors OF the village houses are
all closed, and few natives appear before day-
break, as the tigers in these parts seem to de-
pend upon domestic animals for food, and
haunt the villages at night TO secure such. We
have been some distance in the country, but
can find no game in sufficient quantities to
feed the many tigers that are about. Foxes,
badgers and a few wild pigs there are, but the
cultivation and dearborization are carried on TO
such an extent as to preclude their increasing.
These tigers, therefore, live almost entirely on
goats, pigs, dogs and cattle, with an occasional
human being. In one part of the country we
lately visited there was hardly dog left, they
having all 1allen victims. Missing the yelping
of the ours in going through the villages was q
pleasing oddity.