Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1901-10-19
A FISH-TlGER STORY


While carried my re with me. has
no intention CT so.-s ext 1. - 10y Il
Ind gan. Ca tkt. pfex:c,-S e.1oo:
| had observed what seemed 20 lie
capital spot in the bend OF lie river
aud il WAS 10 this place | fastened IL
left camp. Catching a freq faT bait.
flung in the hook. and il wasn't Tx.
minutes before | was meeting viii
such luck that all thoughts CT tigers
snakes. jackalS and hyeEaS were driver
out Of my mind
had landed half a dozen good siZeo
fish aud was just then playing lar
ger one when a slight noise startled
NE. and looked around 10 see such Il
sight as has seldom come to the eyes
OF a sportsman \ full grown tiger
was within five feet of me playing with
one of the fish Il was the last one
pulled out. and in its dying agouies i:
was jumping about on the grass Ev
cry time ii moved the tiger would
reach out a paw in playful way. and
ence or twice he struck hard enough
to move the fish three or four feet.
| tell you | was badly frightened
man. aud all | could do was 10 sit
there with mouth and eyes open. The
tiger had crept down from the bluffs,
and why he hadn't attacked me was
mystery. He went from fish 10 fish.
turning them over with his paw. and
time and again brushing me with his
tail as he moved about. My rifle was
ten feet away. leaning against bush.
and | might have been idiot enough to
Try TO reach il but for warning.
My personal servant had followed
me to see what luck | had He came
into the neighborhood while the tiger
was playing with the fish. and. softly
climbing Il tree he uttered the call of
a bird to attract my attention and then
sang out: DO nothing to provoke the
tiger. master, He is a hiloweele. and
if you do not cross him he will go
away He meant that the spirit of a
good nature had been transformed and
it was clearly the common sense way
to follow his advice.
AS the beast gave me no attention !
turned TO the fish Juggling at the end of
my line and landed him. He WAS of
good size and full of vitality and the
tiger waited in a playful way until
removed the hook and threw the fish
as kitten would for ball of yarn.
and he played with it in the same way.
1t was laughable. in spite of the cir
cumstances. to witness his actions.
He would run around in circles, as
you have seen a young dog do. some
times almost leaping over me. and then
again he would become the cat and
creep softly forward to pounce upon
one of the fish. Each one as caught was
flung to him. and it was a full halt
hour before he grew tired of the sport.
| expected he would turn TO me sooner
or later. but the native saw the change
of demeanor first and called: Master,
the hiloweele is going TO play with you
Be as clay in his power
The tiger suddenly left the last fish
landed and came stalking over to me.
purring like a cat and acting very play
fully. His first move was to worm his
head under my left arm. and I'm telling
you the solemn truth when say that
smoothed down his fur as if he had
been a favorite dog. had on a big
straw hat. and this he got hold of in his
teeth aud Played with it for ten min
utes, or until he had torn il all to pieces
l had no more bait to fish with and sat
there waiting for the tigers next move
When he had finished the hat, he
came over and rubbed his head against
me and purred in pleased way. and
rubbed him with my hand from nose &c
tail. l gradually got over my scare. but
was yet very anxious to know how the
affair would end. The sun was getting
well up and very hot. and the beast
no a N
about thirty minutes from the time be
appeared the tiger began to show q
change of demeanor. He became nerv-
Gus and uneasy. and the hair on his
back stood up at intervals. judged
that he had got the scent of my serv-
ant. and such proved to be the case.
| dared not rise to my feet, but l
made up my mind that if the tiger at
tackled me l should make a spring OF
the bank into the river. 1t was infest-
ed with crocodiles. but there was not
much choice between being eaten by
beast or saurian.
Once the tiger glared at me and
growled. but the next moment whined
as if afraid and edged up toward me
as If for protection. The servant had
been keeping watchful eye on my
strange playmate, and he now believed
the time had come for decisive action. !
He therefore fired his pistol and shout |
ed at the top of his voice. The effect +
was immediate The beast dropped his /
tail. uttered long drawn whine. and. /
with sort of farewell glance at me. !
he bolted for the forest and disappear I
ed. | had looked him over pretty we'll
and had noticed among other things t
that he had broken claw on the right /
paw. We did not break camp that day /
Just before sunset, as we sat in /
groups smoking our pipes. tiger I
charged boldly in among the servants /
and seized one and attempted to make /
off. We rallied to prevent and the /
beast knocked two other men over be-