Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-06-01


either of rain or of a cooling breeze.
The creepers surrounding the bunga-
low were dropping, and even the
usually stately palms looked languid.
Every thing out of doors was motion
less, as if paralyzed by the sitting
atmosphere. Grain, rain, rain,
was the universal cry of thirsty nature.
AT this time we lived away up in
the North Provinces, fully twenty
miles beyond the Mission Station of
Rhanaghat, the missionaries there
being our nearest white neighbors.
Round us on every side was Jungle,
stretching as far as the eye could see.
To the west could be seen, in bright
weather, the clear, sharp, snow
crowned peaks of the mountains more
than a hundred miles away. Our
beautiful white bungalow, which al
ways looked so clean and cool-al-
most hidden in wealth of roses and
gaily-colored creepers, and surrounded
by rhododendrons, azaleas and other
Towering shrubs-was built on the
slope of hill overlooking the little
native village of Signal.
My brother was in Government
service, and the week previously he
had received notice to meet a State
official at Rhanaghat. He had gone
with company of natives, taking with
him his guns and dogs, in order on
the way back to try and rid the neigh
borhood of its terror, a man eating
tiger.
"Sahib," said Chadda, one of our
men, NEAR Botta Singarum, village
two coss -four niles off, there one
Burra Bagh" ("bagh" means tiger,
"who kill plenty men; he ate one ole
woman yesterday. He has an evi
spirit, sahib, for though all shikarmer
and village people plenty, plenty,
looking, never can lind him. We
burra chor by (he is very great
thief, sirl."
That was Chadda's account.
Inquiry more than substantiated
the accusations made against the
terrible Burra Bagh, and it was found
that, not only was he q great thief
but q wholesale murderer to boot
Lurking amongst the dense brush
wood that skirted the highway, he had
within the last six months seized and
devoured the amazing number of forty
of the inhabitants-sixteen of whom
were running postmen." Over and
over again he had snatched the cattle,
watchers, leaving the cattle un.
touched. The natives were of the
opinion that it was of little use seek.
ing him, as he never remained two
nights at the same place. My brother,
however, was determined that these
awful devastations should come to an
end, and he therefore organized the
hunt to take place on his way back
from Rhanaghat.
So he departed, and I was left
alone-aIone in my little home up
among the hills. Fear / knew not, sc
accustomed had 1 grown to the sights
aud sounds of jungle life. But Oh
this the third evening of his absence,
[ began to feel lonely, and the ex.
treme heat mado me rather nervous
into the bargain.
L had finished my home letters ere
dusk, and, with a yawn, I drank the
cup of welcome chakwa (coHee) which
Bara, the ayah, brought me. 1 then
retired to my loom, and was soon in
bed. How hot it wasl I have been
in what are considered warmer parts
of India since, but never have I ex
perienced heat like that which pre-
vailed that night. My baby-sister lay
in her little cot by my bedside, anC
her regular breathing soon made me
feel drowsy. The fragrance of the
roses seemed to fill the air, bearing {
train of pleasant memories, and vi
sions, happy visions, of the lear home
folks away in England foated before
me till was almost asleep.
! SAddtnly a big gadal (black bat