The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1897-12-16

leaped on me felt no pain from teeth
or claw. Neither did /, after once the
brute seized me, feel any keen senst.
Of fear, although perfectly conscious
of all that was going on, and OF what
seemed the certainly that should be
Immediately killed. Perhaps the best
expression of my condition while was
in the tigers power would be to say
that l was in a hypnotic state. for 1
can compare my sensation with moth
ing else.
"The tiger ran perhaps fifty yards,
then stopped. laid me down and
crouched, watching me. Presently he
picked me up again and started on
through the Jungle, this time walking,
bearing me along with my legs drag
ging upon the ground. Coming to an
open space he laid me down and, back
ing away q distance Of two or three
yards, lay crouched watching me in
tently, after the manner of q cat that
plays with mouse.
From the position In which I lay
could look straight into his yellow
eyes, and could see the curling In and
out Of the tip OF the supple tail Then,
as with every second l expected the
tiger to leap upon me and tear me,
there crashed in the jungle's stiffness,
the loud report OF a gun, close at hand.
l saw the tiger leap to his feet, whirl
toward the sound. and he roared as he
reared himself almost upright on his
hind legs; then fell over on his side
struggling.
1T was from the old firelock that I
had set In order that morning-the
East Indian Company musket Of Dassa
Balhua that the shot had come which
saved my life. The shikari had found
the path the tiger was accustomed to
take in going from his den to the near
est watercourse to drink. In a thick
leaved tree overlooking this path he
had built platform, and from this he
had watched daily for chance to
shoot the brute. Waiting here his
day, he saw the tiger come into view
from an unexpected quarter, dragging
me along by the shoulder. When he
cav the tiger drop me in the open
space and lay himself down at little
distance away, the shikari fired at him,
aiming at the head, for he knew that
If not killed outright, the first act of
the brute would be to kill me. The
tiger, struck in the ear by the heavy
bullet, died almost in his tracks.
After the shot was fired | lay still.
not feeling sure that the tiger really
was done for, until saw Dassa Balhua
come toward me from the tree. When
lifted my head the Shikari was startl-
ed, for he thought that / was dead.
But he came to me and lifted me by
the shoulders, so that by turning my
head | could see the tiger lying stretch
ed on his side.
lie can trouble you no more, sahib,'
said the ehikari. The tiger is dead
The shikari opened my jacket and
examined my wounds. and then went
down to the road to intercept my SER
wants. Byt the time he came back
with them, my wounds were getting
painful. While one of the servants
rode to the nearest bungalow for men
and litter, lay watching the shikari
skin the tiger. 1t was young animal.
full grown, with a glossy. beautifully
marked skin. and terrible teeth and
claws. With the skin and the Govern
ment bounty and the hundred rupees
that | gave him. Dassa Balhua had no
reason to complain OF his days fortune.
/ was taken out of the jungle that
night, and to my home the next day.
l had a bad shoulder, with fever that
and did not regain the full use Of my
right arm for years. But think l got
Off WELL"