The San Francisco call., 1897-05-16

travelled, but he has plenty of grit and
has always been able to pull through"
Tom Moran is miner who was gradu-
ated in the Comstock school of mining
years ago and who has since had much
experience in Mexico, Australia, Ind!a
and other producing countries.
at is singular that you should have
been able to travel through so many
strange countries without a few hair
breadth escapes or some other expert
ences worthy of being related, said one
of the old Comstock friends who were
questioning Tom in regard to his travels
in foreign lands. ibid you never run
against tiger while in India?"
Tiger" said Tom, with laugh. "Well,
YES. I've run against the tigers of nearly
every country on the two sides OF the
globe"
Il am speaking now Of the real, roaring
ramping Bengal tiger-the striped beast OF
the Jungle" said the Comstocker. Il saw
Quite a number of tigers while IN 1ndla
and went after the animals on regular
hunts. killed few while 1 was there,
in order to get some good SKINS"
Never got into close quarters with
one?"
"Weu, not very; but Brother Bob had
rather bad bout with a big hill tiger up
in Nepaul."
did Bob get away with the tigerP"
"Yes, Brother Bop is true grit; the tiger
was killed"
''As you had no adventures of your own
during your travels, Tom" said Com
stocker, suppose you give US the story OF
Bobs tiger fight"
~ am sorry Brother Bob is not here to
tell you about his battle with Madame
Stripes but as he is not with US this even
ing will give you a little sketch OF the
affair as 1 saw it.
Brother Bob and were up on the Ne
paul frontier, headed for the lower slopes
OF the Himalayas.
I'm place of the ducks, cranes, coots
and pelicans of the lagoons along the low
land course of the Kooses VIC now began
10 see quail, partridges, pea'fowl, horican
and other upland birds. In places hidden
in patches of dense jungle and overgrown
with vines and creepers were diiapidated
temples indicating that the whole country
had at some time been inhabited, though
in the present age only few scattered
villages are to be found. Outside Of the
villages there are here and there huts in
habited by the 'gwalla. or cowherd caste.
and these huts of the men of the cattle
stations are often in the heart of aim ost
impenetrsble stretches of jungle.
:While in this beautiful region our
guns kept US well supplied with all kinds
of game, and we first and last killed many
wolves, jackals, leopards and about a
dozen tigers, great and small. The Brit
ish and wealthy natives almost always
use elephants in hunting tigers, some
times having fifty or more of the huge
beasts il line; but as we were not in
position to command supply OF ele-
plants, we did our work on foot, hiring a
score or more of coolies, with tom toms,
firecrackers and horns to beat through
small patches of jungle. At first we
mounted ourselves on 'mychans. bamboo
platforms, at the point where we expected
the game to appear, but after we had
learned something of the nature and ways
OF the tiger we did not bother with plat
forms, but took our chances on the ground.
1.-The gwallas of the region were always
ready to bring us news of a tiger having
killed one of their cattle, and when we
got news of kill we were soon out after
the killer. Often the ewallas would be
able to point out the patch of jungle to
which the tiger had retired after making
the kill and feasting his fill.
at was here in this foothilI region that
Brother Bob had his adventure with a big
hill tiger. A 'shekarry, a native expert
hunter, who keeps himself well posted in
regard to the movements of game and
manages hunts for both British and rich
natives, one day came to our camp and
proposed to give US some sport. He said
that as neither the English nor the native
princes were hunting at that season busi-
ness was very slack with him. He offered
for very reasonable price to bring out
his people and beat through a piece of
Jungle which he knew to be alive with all
kinds of game. As part of the bargain
Brother Bob and l were to kill as many
wild hogs, deer and the like as We could
knock over, the shekarry saying his
people were all very hungry for meat
1.-THE particular piece of jungle selected
by the old game expert to be beaten
through lay between the forks of two
large streams with high and steep banks.
a more favorably situated jungle for sport
could not have been found. AS Bob and
tion of the two streams nothing could pass
that way without being seen. We took
stations about fifty yards apart at a point
where the jungle became somewhat thin
and open, each thrusting into the ground
q leafy branch of parass to serve as
screen or blind. After long wait we
heard family in the distance the sound of
the tomtoms and the shouts of the beat
ers as they advanced into the jungle.
Presently we heard rustling upon
the stray leaves in front, and troop of
monkeys, loudly chattering their alarm,
came hopping out of the dense jungle.
''As vet we had seen no deer or other
desirable game, but the beaters were still
far away. Taxing peep from behind my
screen, l was somewhat surprised to see
large female tiger come gliding out of the
thick jungle, croucking close to the ground
as she passed into the open. She was on
Brother Bob's side of the jungle and was
moving straight toward him, apparently
more concerned about the commotion be-
hind her than afraid of danger in front.
Bob had also seen the tiger and had
dropped to one knee behind his screen
and ieveled his rifle. Every moment
expected to hear the report of Bobs gun,
as the tiger was within ten yards OF his
blind and was moving slowly.
"some noise in the jungle frightened
the skuiking beast and, after quick back
ward glance. it blindly bounded forward.
at the second bound the tiger landed