The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-02
TIGERS DOSE OF KNOCKOUT
PrT TO SLEEP BY 4 DINNER on
pOPpT- FED BEAR.

odd Circumstances That Gave splendid
Tropl,y to n Hunter In Indin-Bears,
Ants, and other Creatures That Suffer
from Dissipation In tho Poppy Fields
There was a queer tiger kill In the Ghur-
hasa district some weeks ago. writes A. NJ.
Sindholm OF Lahore. India in letter received
by u frio,d In New York last week. The
brute was a fine one. ten feet long. with per-
feet akin. and there seemed every reason To
think that he would give any number OF hnnt-
ers an ugly tuss,e. But he fell. like ripe
apple into Il basket TO the single gun OF the
hunter who Numbered uron him in the JunGc.
II was very odd chain OF circumstances that
brought the result OF n dead tiger instead OF
the mnulcd hunter who might reasonably nave
been expected to issue from such an encounter.
THE thing came about in this way: ciNil-
ian named Martin. from Calcutta. who was
shooting at Ghurbasa. watching in a
poppy field for bear that was in the habit OF
coming there by night. Ghurbasa is at the
westerly edge OF the opium district. and the
bears there in the ripening season OF the pop
pies have a trick OF eating the seeds in the
pods On this nj yht. which was dark. Martin
hoard the bear among tho poprics. but could
not get shot at him. After much waiting in
trying to get nearer the bear he alarmed
him. and the beast made of in the darkness
into the jungle. The hunter was Tempt
ed to send q random shot after him.
nut rcfrained. luckily as it proved. The
sounds OF the animals moving through
the underground had scarcely died away when
there came to the hunters ears the loud
scream which the Indian bear gives when In
great pain peril. ana with it the sound OF q
tigers Grunting roar. Fora few minutes there
we're heard the voices OF the two beasts in COM
fict and when these sounds ended the hunter,
not caring to investigate further at the time.
for the tiger was evidently the victor. res
turned to the fleldkeeper's hut where he was
staying during the hunt.
THAT the tiger should have attacked the
bear even without provocaton was not to he
wondered at for there is always i'll will be-
tween these animals. and whenever they meet,
unless the bear the tiger in time to take
TO tree. a fight to the death is to he assumed.
The tiger il usually the winner. and for tho
most part is content with killing the bear and
leaving his remains to the ants and Jackals.
but il hungry he sometimes makes his dinner
of him. Going out next morning to the scene
OF the battle OF the night before-the bears
trail led plainly to it-Martin found about an
eighth Of n mile beyond the field. in the Jungle.
the bears body partly deyourcd by the tiger.
The condition OF the ground about showed that
there had been a lively fight while it lasted. and
the tigers tracks marked the direction he had
taken after his dinner The condition OF the
carcass and the tracks showed that the tiger
had left the bear at least six hours before. and
Martin had no idea that the animal could he
anywhere in the vicinity. He, sent one Of the
three natives with him back to a tank for
water. and. waiting his return. smoked his
pine to The windward Of the bear taking no
precautions whatever as to watching or keep
When the native come back with the water
chatty the hunter drank from il and then start
ed to follow the tigers trail, smoking his pipe
as he went forward He had not gone ity
living asleep IL a little open space beneath an
acacle tree The brute was lying tumbleways
his tracks, and was Sleeping the slumber r
e The H.. Seven SSIeeners rolled into one:
when he first saw him that with two more
steps he could have touched him with his
the least from his place, and all the noises
made by the party whI" a"o4t the bear and in
deed. but for his heavy breathing. the brute
had all the appearance Of a dead tiger
and took t to trees and Martin. sS t thor
SPORTSMAN and as plucky as they make them.
stopping to investigate further: Then from
behind bunch Of Jungle grass he fired a. the
"ered tHe REPORT sU Of the e f fRei User
jumped TO his feet. stared wildly around and
pe r ' to be- ' pointed at " the T'cn moment s
which. was toward the acacia tree. and
the Trunk w. f H- on gave M M "p aSal iar
shot at his side. and he placed bullet behind
proved moral the tiger WAS still active enough
to have made trouble for dozen hunters: but
expected under The circumstances. he whirled
about and roared and tore at the tree which
gave Martin chance 10 finish him with a third
shot in The ear.
"Mnrtin at first could scarcely realize his
good fortune in hagging Il splendid tiger SO
easily. BY threatening them with his rifle he
got the natives down from the trees. and with
their help he skinned the beast and came back
with he hide to the bungalow. His explana-
ton Of the strange behavior Of the tiger was
that the beast was dopcy' from feeding on the
theory seems quite reasonable. and II is cur-
hunters and Shikar"s-4atiye tiger hunters
puenting the, POPPY fields has narcotic
PROPERTY which strongly affects any creature
that feeds Iced nnon l. This is particularly the
believed to have contracted the habit OF
opium drunkenness. which they satisfy in
sHm. manner in the roGpy fields, Several
!nrkas made stupidlv drunk from feeding on
me carcass OF "a bear III led in POPPY district
others have observed bears in a state of
corresponding 10 the effects of opium eating
ny human beings. and no doubt attributable TO
the same cause.
1T is from POPPY honey that the bear most
,rrluentiy perhaps wholly gets his dose OF
knockout. This insidious substance. ono ot
me most aub'" agents employed by thugs and
noIrnt condition in which h" may unresisting-
~ he robbed or murl"r"d plays strange
FRANKS IN the animal kingdom. The bees that
collect il from Ia" flowers often get to be con-
iirmed opium dehaurhe"S and pursue zigzag
nights anu fall by the waySiie on their return
moneWnrd from the Poppy fields, The honey
and birds and beasts thar feed upon ants and
bees get from these victims dropped in their
way Il dose Of knorkout which sometimes
their species and Il prey 10 their enemies"
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NOW COMES SNAKE TRUST