Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1899-05-17

In the mountains, saved the hunter
for the moment from the tigers teeth
and claws, aud his shouts brought
the two ranchmen to the rescue.
They attacked the tiger pluckily with
their machetes. The beast was loath
to give up his prey. He drove the
ranchmen back twice, returning TO
the Englishman each time and stand
ing guard over him, with his fore
paws on his body. At last one of the
ranchmen threw lasso over tigers
neck and jerked it tight The ami
imal charged him at once. but the
men got turn of the rope round a
small tree. and both pulling hard to
gether, drew the tigers head close to
the trunk. Then, as the tiger snapped
at the rope with his teeth. one of the
ranchmen severed his spine with his
mae chete. The Englishman was bal
ly shaken up by the unexpected out
come of his hunting scheme. but was
not much injured otherwise. He lin
ished the beast, which now, of course.
was helpless, with shot i'm the head.
aud he always claimed the glory of
killing him. But il was never heard
that he tried East Indian hunting
methods again with Venezuelan pan
ther tigers
"Several times panther tigers have
killed stock at camps where was
staying, and once "A herdsman in my
party was killed by one of these beasts
within hundred yards of the camp
tire. His body We found. partly eat
EN-, quarter of a mile from the place
where be was struck down. ONLY
once ! had brush with one of these
animals. The encounter was start
ling one, and for some minutes things
looked squally for me and my native
guide. But we escaped unhurt, and.
as the affair turned out the joke was
on the tiger. 1t came about in this
way. Antonio and |, in travelling on
a by-trail out of the mountains. had
stopped for the night in a deserted
hut built against the hillside. The
hut was large one plastered with
mud, and 1t had one door with an
unglazed window, about foot and
half square, set very high in the wall.
had killed deer that dav. and
when we went to sleep on the floor
quarter of venison was hanging on
hook on the side of the wall opposite
the window. 1t was this that attract
ed the tiger. The first that we knew
of his presence he came through the
window like shot from gun. pass.
ing directly over me and landing un.
der the venison on the other side of
the room. heard him strike on the
floor and instantly rear and tear down
the meat from the hook. Not know
ing for the moment what had broken
loose, wrapped my blankets around
me for protection, grabbed up nv
rifle, and sidled along, keeping close
to the wall, to where Antonio had
made his bed. 1t was pitchy dark.
but | could tell that he was standing
In the corner with his machete in his
right hand and his blanket wrapped
round his left arm to serve as a shield.
lie was standing steady, but his eyes
were fairly ablaze with excitement.
"What is it, Antonio?" | asked.
a tiger?"
"'Ies, senior. He has come for
the venison and cannot get out. No.
do not fire, senor, for we are dead
men if you fail to kill him. Give me
lumbre (match), pray you
eve could hear the tiger trying to
leap up to the window, with the quar-
ter of venison held in his teeth, and
falling back to the floor. When ever
he turned his head toward us his ewes
were like balls of red fire, but he did
not offer to touch us, his whole aim
seeming to be to get out at the win
dow with his plunder. found a
match and gave it to Antonio. He
picked up handful of the dried
grass that his blankets had been
spread on, twisted it into torch and
lighted it with the match. By its
light we could see the tiger standing
under the window glaring at us over
the haunch of venison which he
plainly meant to stay by.
- Come senor said Antonio aO1