Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-07-13
The real FASCINATION Of tiger shooting

and shooting from the comparatively
safe position Of a "howdah' securely
glrthed TO a bold and well trained
"tusker's" back, but in shooting him on
foot and following him up when wound
ed. There IL the expectation OF com
ing upon him every moment or OF him
coming upon you; the feeling Of a t'nse
Of danger, yet the trust one places in
his nerve aud eoolness. and the aceur-
acy OF his rife, are what lend enchant-
ment 70 the sportsman whose heart is
In the jungle and whose quarry Is
stripes" himself,
The vitality OF the feline species when
wounded IL remarkable. the mine lives
Of the cat proyerbial, and the ten1clty
with which an almost Immediately "a
tally wounded tiger clings to lie ana
maintains It's fearful strength ana Ges-
perate savageness 10 the last traction
OF a second are 50 extraordinary that
few people, with the exception Of those
who have actually hunted and Killed
the striped denizen Of the Indian Jun
gle. the "blg cat win believe the
enormous feats Of strength he Is capa-
BILE Of performing and the terrihc
amount Of damage he can inflict, when
20 all intenis and purposes he Is pracli-
cally dead
My language may appear somewhat
far fetched, but the following account
Of some experiences with these animals
when most seriously and mortaily
wounded. will go 10 prove that what !
have said IL not without foundation
n La. "a Voc EIg 10
Of Southern India. had been out about
two months, and had had fair but not
extraordinary sport. The monsoon had
been light, the succeeding hot weather
very hot. water scarce and game, Of
course more plentiful IN It's vicinity
had struck camp and marched some
thirty miles southeast, into thick
broken. difficult country and camped
In what from all appearances was u
sportsman's paradise. Deer bear and
pauthers were reported plentiful, an oc-
caslOna tiger was no uncommon visitor
and small game Of all sorts abounded.
At this particular time tigers were
known to be N the neighborhood in
fact. Il was 'kubba" mewsJ Of this
kind that brought me TO the district
my head shlkarry the ever active and
vigilant Ramiah who. | believe could
wind" tigers across an ocean, was
sanguine. and the second morning after
my arrival, while ! was sitting outside
my tent. taking "ch0tahazree," light.
early breakfast consisting of cup OF
tea toast and fruit. he appeared with
his usual salaam and an almost lmper-
ceptible half smile. half cry. which was
peculiar TO him on such occasions, and
which spoke for itself. Ramiah had got
"kubba, and suggested that master"
should get on his pony and come and
see
A hot ride Of some two or three miles.
through "A most wild, romantic and
beautiful country brought us TO the
dry and sandy bed of small river In
the middle OF which were some patches
OF rush and grass, kept green by a kind
OF DOGGY formation common In that
part, to one OF these patches RAmiah
led me. and from and 20 the furthest
bank were the well defined pugs foot
printO Of a tiger or as Ramioh said,
tlgress She had been there only once.
and that. the night before. and there In
the near vicinity she was now
SITTING UP OVER KILLS"
About a quarter OF a mile from the
river Was dry nullah, aud across this
she had also gone, for Ramlah had
tracked her there before he had in
formed me, but after that the jungle
was dense rocky and difficult and as
tracking further would not only have
been useless. but possibly have resulted
In disturbing the tigress before we were
ready for her, We returned TO camp. To
beat this part of the country would
have been Impossible with any chance
for single gun. IL would have re-
qulred three or four rifles at least, and
more beaters than ] believe | could
have mustered from the neighboring
villages.
| told Ramiah that the only chance
lay IN tying up and sitting up over
the XIII" this was no information for
him. however, for he replied, with a
gesture like Frenchman, Master
know very Well" Before sunset that
night | had six water buffaloes tied up
along the course of the nulah, which
was clear and free from growth, and
the nights, as good luck would have il,
were very light.
Sitting up over kills" Is only one
way Of shooting 4igers and would say
at the same time not by any means the
most pleasant or exciting. although
there Is the ever constant expectancy OF
seeing the striped monster. creeping.
catlike, up to It's victim in the dead OF
night, amid such strange surroundings.
phantom shapes and shadows, near and
distant jungle noises the thunderless
lightning 80 common In India. the great
orb as hse rises In her stately glory the
southern cross as he slowly but stead
ily turns upside down; the fitting OF
me night birds, the hum OF lnnumer-
abie insects, and the howl Of the kola-
chalu, or jackals.
soon after dawn next morning Ra,
miah reported Kill This meant
quiet day IN camp and preparations for
the nights sentry duty. The buffalo
which had been killed was tied Ia a
tree that grew on a slight elevation ln
the center Of the nullah. at point
where II ilattened out and divided into
two, and where the banks and edges.
instead Of being abrupt and steep
sloped gradually up until they became
lost In the jungle growth. A spot moro
suitable for the purpose could not have
been found; the dead COW lay where she
had been Killed. about twelve wards
from a huge rock or bowlder nearly
sixteen feet high perpendicular on the
side facing the carcass OF the COW. and
almost Hat on the top, which was about
yard and a half across It's widest
part.
With the HELM Of Ramiah and rora
Tor the rock was almost unscalable
even on the most accessible side / sue.
ceeded In gaining the summit and with
resai and pillow made myself as com.
Portable az circumstances would nor
NIT Ramiah. after handing no my rifle
800 Holland a Holland express. re-
tired 20 a tree some five and twenty
yards 10 my left front. ! shan never
forget that night the heat was Sitting
the stencil from the COW was abomin
able and the mosquitoes were past un
Outstanding. they biz through every
part VI my khaki clothing they punc.
tured me through the lace holes OF my
shoes my putties might have been so
nav feet Of C8uze rolled round my
legs. aud altogether the undisguised
JOY they manifested at my helrlessness
knowing fun wei that dare not move
for fear ~ attracting attention. was
most maddening
/ do not know how long I had been
lying there gazing FIRST az the COW and
then glancing at Ramiah who SAT In