Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1899-02-02
LION AGAINST TIGER.

ers-one subject often debated and
never settled-it has been the queS-
ton of relative strength between the
lion and the tiger. East Indian shlkar-
ries, or native hunters, and mighty
English nimrods of Bengal have main
tained that the tiger i. the true king
of the cat family and able to thrash
any lion that ever roal ed by nightfsll
Other Englishmen who have hunted
in South Africa as stoutly declare that
the lion is what the picture books
have made him-monarch Of all beasts
and an overmatch for any tiger that
might question his royal dignity.
The Asiatic lion-or, at least, the
yellow beast of Hindostan--is acknowl-
edged to be too small and too tlmor-
Gus to cope with the Bengal tiger while
the tiger does not inhabit Africa, the
home of the gigantic black named and
crested lions, the largest of their fam
lily. A meeting on equal terms be-
tween an Asiatic tiger and an African
lion would be the only really satisfac-
tory test of the powers Of the two great
cats, and until few weeks ago such a
meeting had never occurred.
A fairly fought battle between lion
and tiger, however, has been decided
at last, and the combat took place at
the court of that well-known sport and
royal good fellow, the Gaekwar (Raj-
put King Of Bsroda, on. Of the nu-
merous protected" monarcEies still
existing under the shadow Of the Brit
ish crown in Hindostan. Ben f. Dod-
son, travelling man who now ranges
between New York and Chicago, but
was once, like many other Americans,
visitor at the palace Of Baroda, re-
ceived letter few days ago from an
English gentleman, Captain Travers'
now temporarily domiciled in Bombay
Captain Travers, a favorite Of the
Gaekwar, was present at the meeting
of the mighty cats, and wrote MIR
Dodson at much length concerning the
great battle.
Captain Travers letter says that the
Gaekwar, who is an enthusiastic nat
uralist, and also much devoted to the
gladiatorial diversions so beloved Of
all Indian princes, had long been In
tending to test the relatives powers Of
the jungle monsrchs, but had never
been able to settle the matter in sat-
isfactory fashion.
The Gaekwar's opportunity came at
last. Nearly a year ago party Of
Arab hunters, ranging among the Atlas
mountains, between Morocco and Al
geria, succeeding in capturing a mag
nifcent specimen Of the crested or
Mount Atlas lion-the largest and
most formidable Of all African felldae,
and much superior to the black-maned
lions of South Africa in bulk and
bravery. Captain Walters, an Eng
lish officer who had frequently been a
guest of the Gaekwar and knew Of his
earnest desire for an African lion, hap
pened to be in Alexandria, bought the
lion and sent it to the G4ekwar, who
named it "Atlas" and arranged for a
battle between it and an immense man
eating tiger captured by an English
sportsman at Simla. The Gaebwar be-
lieved the African lion was the king
of beasts and offered to back his con-
victions with money. The betting
which had at first been 2 to on the
lion, changed in favor Of the tiger
when the betting public got glimpse
Of that beast.
On November 9th the brutes were
put on half rations, and this supply
cut in two twenty-four hours later.
Meanwhile the Prince s carpenters had
been busy preparing the amphitheatre
"a vast structure of 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
cumference of the arena, was lined
with sheetiron, thus making it impos-
sible for 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, and ample opportunity was
given for inspection and comparison
of the monsters. The GaskwaI, true