Rock Island Argus., 1898-08-20

As n field for sport India stands uHri-
vailed and has attractions which no other
county possesses, for it offc-s Il vast area
aboundlng In variod nrd numerous dc
HcriptBns OF gamu. and bia-saHis shooting,
can % enjoyed there with less expense
and with greater PERSONAL eGsc and com
fort than attend its pursuit elsewhere
Thcrc can hc nothing graUdor than the
'sight OF tiger. the monarch or tho jungle.
as he stallsS suilcuiy. yet silently, along.
the very pcr-ouitic,.tion OF muscular and
agile strength. while the heauriful blend
ing OF the dark stripc-. with his fluvous
hide, accord So wonderfully with the
ground over which ne moves and yet stand
out in such striking contrast.
The methods uf ilanting tigers may Ire
classcd under three heading--nrst, beat
ing with limo of elephants ard shooting
from a howd1h; scrurdly. sitting up in a
mcchan or platform constructed I'm - tree
either over hait OF pool OF water. and,
thirdly, shooting them on foot or from a
tree when driven forward hy hcatcrs 20
tho guns. The first method is perhaps tho
most common mode or pursuing the sport
and the one with which the public in gen
eral is most familiar by hcarsay. This
plan is adopted where the only chance of
a shot is from JhC elevated position occu-
pied or the huck Of an elephant and where
the high, dense grass Jungle prohibits the
Use of beatCrs or going on foot oneself
This method ncccsSitatcs a ploS deal of
snap shooting directly the game i started,
the tiger Only being viewed now and then
for moment as he bounds through the
long grass. The second method Il TIC one
most generally practiccd by the native
shikarcc, u whom time Is no object, and
who possesses an unlimited amount Sf pa
tiCncc.
Shooting on foot or from trees Is yencr-
ally practicCd IN central India. whcrc the
tcak forests aud S,ckr r1viuCS afford no
facilities for boating with line of Gle
plants. The locality OF "a tiger or nicrcss
having been uscCrtaiEc,l. a young buffalo
calf Is tied ont as u iriit during the night.
Several of these Tnay Pee pickoEo,l i'm tho
Jungle near hunts that the tiger i known
20 frcquent and may hC within radius Of
some miles from the camp ThCy arc Wis
tied early in the morning, and Il the shi
knroe finds that one has been killed he
makes a wide detour or ring round the
spot. II hc Is unable To track the tiger
out of this circle. and If, moreover. he sees
any Vulturcs pcrchcd On trees il the vicin-
ity OF the Kill. il may l,o safely conjecturcd
that tho tiger iS not very far OF and Is
probably laid mp for the day, sleeping off
the effects OF his meal
News OF the kill i then brought TO
the party sets out about II O'Clock. when
IL Is very hct. tsc r,ason OF this hciug that
tigers arc ntivcrsc 20 travelling far in the
heat Of the doy. They have. like many
other animals, particular paths which they
follow. and ths~c are we'll known by the
local man, whose CSpc-ielisc On this point
IL - generally safe e. r,lv on. Trocs or, IL
there are mons suitable ucur NJ hand, rocks
arr then chosen - thc positions FOR the
different guns 20 occupy. ThcSe arc called
nakas
The tiger never should hc shot at until
he Is past the hunter. for else there Is the
chance OF turning him hack on the al.vanc-
ing beaters. II the tiger should be only
wounded. the bCsfers should by means OF
a preconcertcd signal be at once withdrawn
and made 10 mount trscs, while the sports
men should follow the animal on foot or
on an elephant. II they are fortunate
enough 10 have one with them.
No particular tiger viii confuc himself
strictly to one sort of prey, but takcs what
fortune sends in his way. but there are
undoubtedly large number who sem tO
prefer the tv-o former articles Of diet and
q fortunately comparative few thai select
The latter. The regular game killer IS a