Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1896-09-04
PRESERVING A SKIN.
IT WAS STILL ON THE TIGER, AND
THE TIGER WASN'T DEAD.
"A sportsman's Mistake Nearly Resulted In
the Loss Of Human Life-After This an
Extra Hole In the Hide VIII Not lie
Such an Important Consideration.


Such an Important Consideration.
Arriving at the village of Deypoora,
three miles from Ruttonghur fort, we we've
! 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 taken
60 a ravine in the plains named Loonee
and had taken up our position on "a rocky
ledge when we were recalled by "A man
who had seen the tiger. He directing us
TO 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 IA bullet each, whcreupon
he sprang into the cover below and was
out of sight even before we could get
second shot. On going down the bank we
soon found drops Of blood and easily car
ried 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 fiat stones so no foot
prints could Do discovered. After going
on some little distance we met Nan
tending herd of goats who denied hav.
ing seen the tiger pass, and indeed il was
but too evident from the unconcerncd
manner In which the goats browsed and
cropped the bushes around that they had
seen no such formidable animal lately SO
we retraced out steps to again search for
the blood, when suddenly a man by signs
pointed TO cave formed by a 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
AL the men, as usual, were at once or
dcrcd 20 safe distance in the rear, while,
placing our spare guns before us, we knelt
down 10 polish off this tiger at an unpleas-
antly close distance, for we were prevented
by steep bank behind us from going
farther back, and view could not be Ob.
tanned from any other point As II was,
all we could make ont 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
out stiff on his back, the white of his belly
being uplermost 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 and saw that the cave in which
this tiger had tried 70 hide himself, al.
though il had but d small entrance, was
large enough inside.
While talking over our lucky shots we
observed one OF the tigers arms slowly
move, but IL If from mere muscular ao-
ton, caused by its weight and the posi-
ton the beast was lying in. On noticing
this suggested that another shot should
be given TO make sure, but Little slightly
objected, on the ground that it was only
usclessly making holes and so spelling the
skin. On this l agreed to fire where our
knives would first be used in taking of
the victims jacket, 50 at once, while we
were looking into the cave without put
ting my gun to my shoulder l placed its
muzzle opposite the tigers chest and fired
TIE remaining loaded barrel. All this time
the men, who from a distance had seen us
so near the tigers den, came running up
toward us in great state Of delight at
| 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, no jumped the tiger,
as lively as 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 le
kept guard with his spare loaded barre.
| pointed over the mouth OF the den; our
other guns we had left on the ground on
walking up to first look n the tiger. For
| my part in the most dreadful state Of
alarm, 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 10 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 "a no caught him, instead Of
which. being much confused, he luckily
remained in the den, around and around
which he kept walking, seemingly with
! out being able to find his way out At
, last gaining my legs, | snatched up 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 unpleasantly close TO the
! ground with our weight. From this point
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 riddled with balls. The APP
! poarance 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. II
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 in his chest
most elIectually revived him.
This was most extraordinary and lucky
escape for all of Us, for, supposing him
quite dead, we should have begun to haul
him out Of the cave and at once proceeded
/ to skin him on the spot during which
operation the beaters usually all crowd
around and discuss the brute's death and
recall the losses he has occasioned in his
/ dav Taking off his skin would. no doubt