The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1898-04-05
A MAN TIGER.
BY CHARLES B. LEWIS.

the Chumbul river, on the east side Of
the Chittore hills, India. 1t was a gov
eminent party, in charge of Captain
Jordan, military engineer The object
was to see if the river could be tapped
and canal constructed to run the wa
tiers across the flat country to the east
for irrigation purposes. There were two
English soldiers and party of 20 ma
tives detailed with the captain, and two
English officers and myself were with
the survey as volunteers. This meant
surveying and hunting party combined.
There was plenty Of game in the Chit
tore hills, and Captain Jordan was a
veteran hunter as well as prominent
engineer.
We had not yet got settled in camp
when the natives appeared to tell us
some queer stories regarding a tiger
which had lately made his appearance in
the neighborhood. In the first place, he
was of astonishing size. No one had
ever seen his like. In the next, as they
declared, he had more the face of hu-
man being than of tiger. Again, he
had been encountered, face to face, by
several natives, but instead of attacking
them had contented himself with look
and then walked off. On one occasion
he had entered a village and stealthily
approached an old man who was cook
ing his supper at a fire. His presence
was not discovered until he rubbed his
nose against the old man 8 shoulder and
emitted sound like the purring of
cat. Dumb and helpless with terror, the
native waited to be attacked, but after
walking around the fire two or three
times the beast went off into the thick
ct. This old man stoutly declared that
the tiger had the face of man and
that it seemed to desire speech with
him. The beast had been roaming about
for three weeks when we got there, but
in all that time had not attacked a ma
tive nor killed an animal belonging to
the villagers.
The natives Of India are not only su-
perstitious to the last degree, but given
to the grossest exaggeration in all their
statements, and their declarations in
this case were taken with many grains
of allowance. AS rule they are very
anxious to get rid of their dangerous
neighbors, but in this case they be-
sought us not to harm the tiger. The
soul of some good man, native or white,
had taken possession of the beast, and
for that reason he had spared the vii
layers and should be spared in turn. To
kill him would be sacrilege, and in re-
venge man eater would be sent to de-
populate the village.
1t was four days after the natives had
come in before we got sight of the man
tiger. Captain Jordan had begun his
preliminary work, and one day when he
was on the bank of the river, half a
mile below camp, took my gun to join
him and get shot at some wild swans
which had passed down the stream.
Thus far we had hunted only small |
game and had heard nothing further |
from the tiger. The sun shone brightly |
in cloudless sky, and the weather was
hot, and l knew enough of the tigers
habits to be sure that he would be lying
up in some cool spot during the heat of |
the day. heard the captain shouting !
to his assistants long before l got to
him. They had crossed the river on a
raft, and he was alone. Just before / |
reached him struck into a path used !
by the wild animals as they came down |
from the hills to drink. Forty feet away
! caught sight of the officer standing be- |
hind his surveying instrument, and at |
the same instant my eyes fell upon a
tiger creeping along the path between
us. For few seconds l believed the
creature to be dog. Then as | fully |
realized what it was and that he was
the unsuspecting man l was SO
that l stood stock still and |
gazed at him. had only shotgun,
loaded with swan shot, but the actions |
of the beast were SO singular that for
got was armed at all. While contin-
ued gazing at him he crept forward to
the captains feet and lay down and
rolled over in play.
All of a sudden and without realizing
what was doing l uttered shout. In
turning the captain stumbled over the
tiger and pitched forward, and, with a
oOAO VI OAPt b1O DO1bO SBIdnS away luGO
the bushes. Though the officer got a
full view of the creature it was hard for
him to believe that things had occurred
as they had. AS the tiger had not been
disturbed by me it was a source of won
der why he had not attacked the officer.
When the natives came to hear of it,
they asserted with great earnestness
that the soul of some friend of the cap
tain had passed into the beast and that
the tiger had heard of his presence and
came to welcome him. This was absurd,
If course, but nevertheless we had to
admit that there was something very
singular about the matter.
Three evenings later we sat at the
door of the mess tent and smoked and
talked after the evening meal 1t was
bright moonlight evening, and we could
zee almost as well as at MONDAY. By
md by Captain Jordan rose up and
started down to his horse, 200 feet
lway, and we were following him with
our eyes, when tiger sprang out of
hollow where it had been crouching and
eized him and rushed away to the
hickets. The thing transpired SO quick,
y that it was Is seconds before one of
is moved. AS we sprang to our feet we
asked each other if we had seen Alright
The officer uttered no cry and the beast
lid not even snarl. The man was seized
" the left hip, given twist, and most
If his body seemed to be on the tigers
pack as the beast galloped away. Before
me of us could seize a rifle the beast
md his victim had disappeared into the
,rush, which came within 200 feet of
our tents. We set up great shouting
ind fired our guns, hoping to brighten
he tiger, and as soon as lanterns could
be lighted we pushed our way into the
Jungle, but the case was hopeless from
;he start The tiger had crept across a
lear piece of ground for distance of
100 feet to reach the hollow. The moon
light was so strong that some of us
,ught to have seen him, but as matter
If fact his presence was not even sus
)ected until the captains horse scented
him and began to cut up.
What happened to the captain we
heard from his own lips next afternoon.
The facts in the case were published in
many Indian and English journals at
he time, and strange as they were no
me ventured to dispute them. Next
morning we assembled 200 natives and
beat up the country for miles around,
hoping to at least find the half devoured
body and give it burial Not trace of
it could be found, nor was the tiger
seen. When Captain Jordan was seized,
;he action was SO sudden that it was
1alf minute before he realized the sit
nation The tigers teeth did not grip
;he flesh at all, but only the clothing.
The officer arms were free, and had he
mad a pistol he could have made use of