Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1898-10-22

conversation turned on tigers and .
sport. "a IL often does In the East. I
Who started the topic l can't say.
When I Joined the listeners, Harvey.
II the Gunners, was holding forth, a.
'ollows:
MY Queerest adventure with a
tiger happened years ago when l was
quite a griffin, the youn yest of party
lnder the direction of Major B.. a
noted shikarre. whom we cbeyed an
olicity, and whom we expected 10
show us no end of tigers.
1.-The branches near me served as %
yun-rack, and as, putting rifle 20
shoulder. l sighted right and left.
through interlacing boughs and leaves.
every avenue Of approach, felt my
self most favorably situated. The beat
began, and at last l saw my first tiger.
Instead Of passing within any of the
ranges l had marked out for him, he
quietly trottered under my tree and
lay down az its foot. Swinging round
hastily into an attitude not previously
rehearsed, in the excitement OF the
moment l overbalarced, and, my ride
going of, descended in a heap on the
tIger Luckily for me. the report OF
the shooting iron, and the vision OF a
dark body in the air, frightened him
30 much, he was off az a gallop az the
moment crashed down upon him 4
bruised shoulder and damaged ride
were my only "reminiscences Of that
adventure. OF course, i got horribly
chaffed about IT, D."
IL was scarcely necessary for us 70
tell the speaker he was fortunate 70
have escaped so easily, but we did.
Veracious men who have witnessed
the same scene. from almost the same
standpoint, will differ in their de-
scription OF il, sometimes as 20 details
which are by no means unimportant.
Human nature is liable TO err in tiger
stories as in she witness-box. because
Of the difficulty Of observing aud re-
membering accurately IN moments of
excitement and danger. Many. many
years ago. knew a man who once saw
tiger serenely basldng at the foot OF
tree under hot sun, and, taking a
steady aim, shot the brute stone dead
las he thought) with single ball. 10
make assurance doubly sure, he fred
a second time: then, as not limb or
muscle Quivered, dashed forward on
foot with more valor than prudence
TO survey his prize. His native shi-
kAree, having vainly urged him TO
wait, followed in his wake.
The next thing the faithful atten-
dant remembered clearly was seeing
the tiger stand upright and the sahib
hanging IN his mouth like bundle o.
clothes. With nothing but short,
thick spear in his hand, the brave fel-
low rushed on the enemy and be-
labored it so fiercely that, amazing
to relate, it dropped the bundle and
disappeared into the jungle without
doing further mischief. The mauled
officer lowered between life and dealt
for three months, and the doctor who
attended him with great skill told ms
the dressing OF his wounds was enough
to make a strong man faint every tim,
that operation had 10 be performed
The poison of tiger fangs and claw
will render the healthiest person diff
ficult of approach, and will sometime
finish of an unhealthy, weakly con
stitution before that stage has beer
reached Shock often kills befor
DlOOu-pOlsOnluS naS uau tline 10 set IN
especially with the ordinary run o
natives in India, who have not tn
nerve and stamina of the European L
resist the shock OF having been in
tigers grip Fortunately for l.
he pulled through. to swell for man
years the noble army of generals an
colonies who groan at enforced retire
4 ment in London clubs, till they ar
y fit for nothing else.
The point and wonder of the story
according TO the version of it whicl
fingers in my memory after six-and
thirty years, lay in the tigers bein
successfully routed by the shikaree'
assault. He could easily have mad
mince-meat OF both men, but for som
extraordinary reason did not.
How do you account for it?" Iaske
a famous hunter OF my acquaintanc.
shortly after i had seen hole j
Is side. into which, though lon
healed, you might have put your ifs
f"Did you ever hear of tiger with tw
bullets in him treating his foes wit
such clemency?"
Never" he replied. remembe
l. being brought to his hou:
nearly dead and a handsome subscrir