The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-08-09

Sum balpar IN the tonga. They were to
travel By easy stages under the charge
of a careful bilewallah # there are any
'grifs' in this company I may explain
for their benefit that tonga is a kind
of bullock wagon, and bilewallah is
the driver of the same. Well, / had just
time for few words of comfort and
farewell-Tom will appreciate all that
before I rode out of Raipur at the
head of my column. We camped that
| night in the jungle after a march OF
about 20 miles, and it was under can
vas that was visited with the dream
of preseneiment, or whatever you choose
to call it, that gives such point as it
may possess to this old time Jarn OF
mine. -
The colonel paused to refill his glass,
bat every ones interest was now awak-
ened, and no one broke the momentary
silence that ensued-
.sIt was pretty late before l fell
| asleep, y resumed Colonel Eyre, setting
down his tumbler, and it was still dark
when awoke, or seemed to awake,
with my wife's voice ringing in my ears
"a shrek Of agony that made me start
up from my pillow and listen Greatness
IL. There was lantern burning IN my
tent had left it SO when lay down
and by the glimmer CT light I saw a
large, dark mass spread itself between
me and the canvas roof and gradually
settle down on my head. Ibid not know
what it vast was vague and formless
in cutliHe-but I had a consciousness
that it was something Of a dangerous
nature, something that threatened my
life, and / struggled to throw my
self on one side or the other. In vain; l
could not move hand or foot. I lay as if
chained to the bed, and still the dark
mass descended, shutting out light and
air and seeming to suffocate me. -
"Nightmare!' remarked Sir Alan.
every possibly returned the
colonel. Suddenly, just as Igave my
self up for lost and sank back on the
pillow exhausted, heard my wife's
voice again, this time clear and articu-
late. Save yourself, Gerald!' it cried.
Make one more effort for my sake. I
glanced up at the threatening outline,
nerving myself for a final struggle. 1t
was no longer formless. Its approach
had ceased to be SLOW. Swift as the
swoop of falcon it descended upon me
the immense body of tiger on the
spring, its cruel jaws agape, its enor-
NOUS paws with every claw unsheathed
and its hot, fetid breath on my very
brow"
"a decidedly uncomfortable dream, %
observed Jones.
cot course all this passed in one-tenth
of the time take to tellit. Irolled out
from under the hungry jaws, and just
as reached the ground heard the an
cry growl of the bafaed monster, fol-
lowed by shattering roar loud enough
to waken the seven sleepers. AS my
senses came back to me, I found myself
lying half on the ground, half on MY
low camp bed, my body bathed In
perspiration and trembling in every
limb. Just then my batman put, his
head inside the tent Zap and asked me if
I had heard the roar, adding that there
was tiger IN the camp. Ipulled on my
clothes, and I could hear the men
walking about among the tents, search
ing and whispering, but no trace OF a
tiger could we discover. !"
stThen it was real tiger?" inquired
Tom.
cit would seem so, as the whole
camp heard the roar as we'll as myself.
However, it was almost morning by
this time, and as every one was afoot
and moments were precious l gave
orders to push on at once. A hurried
chota hazree was quickly prepared and
dispatched, and by the time the sun rose
we were fairly on our way, with a good
prospect of reaching Sumbalpar before
nishtfall. I couldn't shake off the i'm
preston of the dream, however, try as
I would. Besides, some natives who had
come in before we broke camp told us
Of man eater which had been infest-
ing the district A tiger that has once
tasted human flesh, as you nay have
heard, is never content with beef or
venison afterward, and they sometimes
make themselves the terror Of whole
countryside before they are shot What
with the vague misgivings suggested by
my dream and the tangible danger Of
the man eater, found myself growing
more and more uneasy with every mile
we marched. Finally determined to
turn back and meet my wife. l was
well mounted, and I believed could
gallop to the rear, assure myself that all
was we'll with her and pick up my
command again before it reached Sum-
balpar. I left the detachment in charge
of sergeant-poor old Busbee, be died
9
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