The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-16

Beast Was StupeAeA ~ Eating
ODiun-Laaen Flesh.
kaT HERE was queer tiger kill In the
Ghurbasa district some weeks
ago., writes A. NJ Ssndhoim, Of
Lahore. India. In q letter received by q
friend last week. The brute was a fine
one. ten feet long. with a perfect skin. and
there seemed every reason to think that
ne would give any number OF hunters an
ugly tuSle. But he fell. like q ripe apple
into q basket. TO the single gun of the
hunter who Numbered upon him in the
jungle. 1t was very odd chain of cir
cumstanceS that brought the result of
dead tiger. instead OF the mauled hunter
who might reasonably have been expect
ed to issue from such an encounter.
The thing came about in this way: A
civilian named Martin. from Calcutta. who
was shooting at Ghurbasa, was watching
In POPPY field for Q bear that was in the
habit OF coming there by night. Ghur-
basa 10 at the westerly edge Of the opium
district. and the bears there In the ripen-
Ing season OF the peoples have trick Of
eating the seeds in the pods On this
night, which was dark. Martin heard the
bear among the peoples. but could not get
. shot at him. After much waiting, in
trying to get nearer the bear. he alarmed
ness into the jungle. The hunter was
tempted to send a random shot after him,
but RETAINED. 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 or peril, and with it
the sound OF tigers grunring roar. For
q few minutes there were heard the VOICES
NJ tAr
these sounds ended the hunter. not caring
to investigate further at the time, for the
tiger was evidently the victor. returned
to the fleidkeepers hut where he was stay
ing during the hunt.
That the tiger should have attacked the
bear even without provocation was not to
be wondered at, Tor there Is always ILL
Will between these animals. and whenever
they meet. unless the bear sees the tiger
death Ii to be assumed. The tiger il usual
iy the winner. and for the most paTt rs
content with killing the bear and le4v. ng
his remains TO the ants and jackais, but
u hungry he sometimes makes his dinner
OF him. Going out next morning to Tia
scene OF the battle Of the night before
the bears trail led plainly to it-Martia
found about an eighth OF a mile beyond
the field In the jungle the bears body,
partly devoured by the tiger. The condi-
ton Of the ground about showed that
there had been lively fight while 1t last
ed. and the tigers tracks marked the d.
rection 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 be any
where In the vicinity. He sent one OF the
three natives with him back to a tank for
water. and. waiting his return, smoked
his Pipe to the windward OF the bear.
taking no precautions whatever as to
watching or keeping silence.
when the native came back with the
water chatty the hunter drank from 1t and
then started to follow the tigers trail,
smoking his pipe as he went forward. He
had not gone Atty PAGES before he came
directly upon the tiger lying asleep in a
little open space beneath an acacia tree.
The brute was lying tumtleways. MS II he
had lurched In walking and dropped III his
tracks, and was sleeping the slumber OK
the Seven Sleepers rolled into one. 20
close was Martin upon the beast when he
saw him that two more steps he could
have touched him with his rife, but tire
tiger did not rouse or move In the least
from his place. and all the noises made by
the party while about the bear and In their
advance had failed to disturb him. Indeed.
but for his heavy breathing. the brute had
all the appearance OF dead tiger
AT sight OF the tiger the natives scat
tered and took to trees. and Martin.
sportsman and as piucky as they
make them, made some active steps to the
rear before stopping to investigate fur
ther Then from behind n bunch OF jun
gle grass he fred at the brute and missed
a shot as easy as could be offered. AT the
report OF the rife the tiger jumped to his
feet. stared wildly around. and then bolt
ed in the direction IN which he happened
TO ne pointed at the moment. which was
toward the acacia tree. and brought up,
head on, with a bump against the trunk.
This gave Martin fair shot at his side.
and he placed a bullet behind the should
err Though the wound would have proved
mortal the tiger was still active enough
10 have made trouble for dozen hunters:
but instead of charging at the smoke, as
was TO be expected under the Circumstance
es. he whirled about and roared and tore
al the tree. which gave Martin chance TO
finish him with third shot In the ear.
Martin a. FIRST could scarcely realize
his good fortune In hagging splendid IT,
ger so easily. BY threatening them with
his rife he got the natives down from
the trees and with their help he skinned
the beast and came back with the hide to
the bungalow. His explanation of the
strange behavior OF the tiger was that
the beast was 'dopey' from feeding on the
blood and tissue OF the poppy-fed bear.
This theory seems quite reasonable, and IL
is corrobora;ed by the testimony both OF
European hunters and shikartes-giatlve IL
ger hunsers-who say that the flesh OF
hears frequensing the poppy fields has
narcotic property which strongly Affects
any creature that feeds upon It, THIS Is
par.iculariy the case with those dissipat-
ed bears which are believed 70 have con-
tracted the habit OF opium drunkenness.
which they satisfy In some manner In the
POPPY fields, Several planters have told
me az seeing kites and jackais made stu
p,,;tv drunk from feeding on the carcass of
a bear killed in a poppy district Others
have observed bears In a state OF glorious
exh.iarasion or profound 'ioplness' CORE
spond,ng TO the effects OF eptum eating ~
human beings. and no doubt attributable
To the same cause.