The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-01-29


| heavy logs. open to the sky and encircling
a pit or arena about fifty feet in diameter.
| A belt six feet wide, topping the inner cir
conference of the arena, was lined with
sheet iron, thus making 1t impossible Tor
the animals to climb out of the enclosure,
while tier on tier of cushioned seats and
private boxes were made ready to receive
| the visitors.
Betting continued lively. The guests were
permitted to walk freely about the pens In
which the combatants were Gagged, ana am
pie opportunity was given for inspection
and comparison of the monsters The Gaek-
war, true to his original convictions, was
ready to back the lion, and found no dif-
fculty in obtaining takers for his every Of
fer Many Englishmen gave him ODDS, ana
one of the many Rajput princes who had
gathered to the carnival wagered 10000 ru-
PEGS on the tiger, the Gaekwar putting up
16 600 rupees on the lion.
on the morning OF November 10 both an
imals were reported wild with hunger and
in prime condition for the fray. Everybody
FASTENED to the arena, and there for hours
they were entertained royalty by the prince,
who, as is we'll known In india spares
neither money nor diligence in proVldlnS
pleasure for those whom he favors with
the freedom of his palace. There We're
wrestling matches exhibitions OF Juggling
ana unlmllSu udiiiibR' ii''>-'iP
ENJOYABLE programme which lasted TIL
o'clock in the afternoon. The event OF the
day was then announced, and the assem-
| bled sportsmen, settling comfortably III
| their cushioned chairs, waited Tor inc
| mighty struggle.
In the Arena
Each beast had been transferred from Ills
| pen to u wooden cage, and these cages
| were now rolled into the arena. ROPES
were attached to the fastenings OIL the
| DOORS and the Gaekwar, percheu on nish
! In the royal box with the English resident
| and several other digntaries, took the ropes
! in hand Waiting till the Rajpat atehoahts
were safely out of the ring, the prince rose,
| hauled strongly on the ropes and opened
| both the cages.
The tiger was the first to emerge, dartlhs
| into the ring with frightful smart AHeio
| was q shout of terror and admiration do
! the great beast, brown and black ana yer
| low, went racing round the eheloSut
| springing high against the Moouen wins
| and rafting his claws against the impene-
| trable iron. No such tiger mad ever peeH
seen in Baroda, and the English hunters
present declared that the animal was as
large a man-eater as was ever caught IN
the whole of India. lie was evidently mofe
than ten feet long, over fourteen tan anu
all. and over four feet tall at the shout
der His teeth were long ana Whlt"' MS
claws of tremendous length and his shouI-
ders great masses of tendons, moving Win
supple grace beneath the striped SKIN,
."rhrce to one on the tiger shouted Col
onel Maitland, an English officer.
| The Gaekwar raised his hand.
I'm take that-for 5000 rupees.
"Done! Make it 5000
| Refore the prince could answer great
| yellow head came through the door Oh lne
! second cage, and the lion leisureiy desce'o-
| cd into the arena. Another cry oil surprise
| and admiration shook the building. IL .he
tiger was the personifcatlon Oh sr"'eA"i
strength and supple energy, the non was
the embodiment of massive power ana aua
mantinc muscle Carrying MS great he'i
more proudly than the tiger, he looh@u
taller. while his heavy name gave MN an
appearance of greater siZe-al appeai GU
made more conclusive by the eNldehtN
large diameter OF the huge ieSs al" t'
hulk of the enormous paws.
.Double YOUR three to one?' asked the
Gaekwar smiling.
Colonel Maitland shook his mead
"IH think about it, your hlghhess' !
| think about it. What monster .he hon
| is! Big enough to cat an eiephah'' 'uSN"
! and air. ..,o, snocu-
There was little time for further specu-
| lation. for the tiger was crawling FORWARD,
crouehed almost fiat upon the ground ana
evidently measuring the distance tor d
| enrinp while the lion, flashing his SIDES
with his heavy TAIL emitted oeep-'oieeu
roar and stood firmly braced awaiting the
onslaught The tiger got his distance
pauced and rose in the air like great yei-
low rocket. AS he shot through space the
lion rose on his hind legs and received MN
oven as the Highlandsrs at Waterloo LOON
Napoleon's cavalry upon their payone's'
rhera was a crash, a chorus OF horrlpie
wells and blood-curdling snaris anu .nen
two great bodies rolled over and over III
| cloud of sand.
The mighty lighters resained their zee,
| and shook themselves free. As they parteo
| from the clinch the lion swung MS RS, ,4'
paw sauarely on the tigers head Inc oiow
| shot in SO fast that even the supple cat
| could not avoid the stroke, and the huee
claws ripped away an ear and tore inc sNi.i
of the tigers head in frightful fashion. over
| In q bean rolled the tiger, and the lion
! rushed in to complete his victory. His claws
| tore only dust, for the tiger regaining his