The Washington times., 1901-07-28
A NOVEL TIGER HUNT.
Enticing n Great Cat with Range
by q "Shfkar With BeIls.,

For whole year the monster continued
| his depredations almost without molesta-
| tion. Over forty people had been slain
| and the village herds suffered severely.
| The local forest ranger was in a state of
terror, and had written to his superior in
terms much as follows, showing the diff
| ficult situations in which he compiled his
reports: -+s
February 1.-Up tree. where adhere
! with much pain and discontinue while
big tiger roaring in a very awful manner
on the fire line. This is two times he
| spoiled my work, coming and shouting
like thunder and putting me up tree.
and making me behave like an insect. 1
| am not able to climb with agility. owing
to stomach being little too big. owing to
bad water of this jungle. Jungle mans
can fly up tree quickly. Even when I do
not see this tiger and he does not make a
dreadful noise / see the marks of his
hoofs and his nails on the path" So 1t
came about that when my camp was
pitched in the vicinity of the yellow
peril" deputation. headed by Koom-
bappa, presented itself before my tent
and begged me to rid the neighborhood Of
a monster concerning whose doings each
one had some piteous tale to tell 1t was
a long tramp up the valley before day
light next morning and a stiff climb up
the path, which wound its way over the
rocks and through the thick bamboo
Jungle Now the jungle was so thick and
extensive that to beat for the tiger would
be a useless task Nothing could be seen
in the dense thickets of the cover where
he lurked What was to be done?
Then 1 bethought me of a mode of hunt
ing Of which a sportsman of sixty years
of age had told me. This was the 'shi-
kar with bells" A native, adorned only
with coating of wood ashes, with a tray
containing burning oil wicks upon his
head and chime of bells in his hand,
precedes the hunter in search of game on
a dark night. Such was the plan now
proposed. At 10 o'clock at night koou-
bappa, smeared with ashes and bearing
the lights upon his head and the chime
in his hand. preceded me to the forest
1t was a weird adventure. Naught could
be seen but the dim outline of trees in the
gloomy forest My companions move
ments became more groteSque, and, as 1t
were inspired. The lights danced before
my eyes and cast n baleful glare for some
yards ahead The tinkle of the bells be-
came more sonorous and filled the forest
with a weird noise that exercised indie
scribable spell over the senses. Suddenly
the spectral ash-clad figure ceased to ad-
vance, but frantically continued its cease
less antics. l peered into the gloom in
front aud saw two luminous crbs shining
through the darkness. Slowly they ap-
preached. The movements, of the dancer
became spasmOdic as the huge form OF
the tiger emerged from the shadows and
stood erect before us in the dim, flicker
ing light, with every hair set. breathing
heavily with painting tongue and heaving
sides. AS l raised my rifle and fired be-
tween the creatures eyes Koombappa
sank to the ground exhausted by his ex-
ertions and excitement. The lights were
extinguished at the same moment and all
was silent and buried in darkness. For
some minutes L dared not move At
length my eyes became accustomed to the
darkness, objects outlined themselves
themselves amid the surrounding obscur-
ity, and the great form OF the tiger ap-
peared lying on the ground few yards
off. My bullet had pierced his BRAIN
Indian Sporting Times.