The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-17
NETTING A TIGER.

NETTING A TIGER.
IFrom the London Globe-l
am among the few fortunate English
men who have participated in the rarest
0I royal tiger a To 5peaE ef ro yang Ben
GAL tiger in this connection would be
IN one corner Of the Madras Presidency
that this sport can take place. This is
up into countless hills. Here coffee, tea.
and einchona are cultivated, and 20 years
torious prominence in the city of London.
owing to the discovery of gold. Companies
lied, but the mines never gave any prom
Use of paying dividends even on reasona-
Wynaad is, however a paradise for
sportsmen. Elephants and bison roam
provide food in plenty q tigers and Ieop-
ards Consequently these big cats rarely
cred calf or kid. The hunting Of them is
very difficult, for cover abounds. By
when he has his rife with him and thus
get a shot, otherwise he may spend
ing glimpse of them, although oft on u
Silly night he will hear their loud purr
stream where. in the morning, their pugs
viii be plainly visible in the soft red
The natives of the Wynaad are good
sportsmen and they have experienced
SLAYER Nor is the desire IT to secure a
tiger skin solely a matter of sport with
cattle litter and before he IS i DESTROYED it or
his taste for beef glutted he Will decimate
a herd. 1t can therefore be understood
that among the Wynaad cultivators there
is an inbred animosity against tigers very
mer toward the fox. With peculiar audac-
ity they devise a simple system of netting
which in favorable circumstances is al
most Invariably successful 70 under
stand the system one must realize the lie
but in their folds are thick woods. from
half an acre to five acres in extent; Be
nneier rice Ait cI7ItiVation n IF tiger be
marked down in one of the smaller woods
is quite a Simple job to run a net around
the wood and await results
tumn news was brought to me that IL
ger had been encompassed. Short time
ing miles. The Wynaad at that time of
the year is singularly beautiful. The air
flies f1utter ahead of you; hocks of par
rotS fly screeching above and innumera-
the surrounding Jungle. Arrived at the
scene of action I found a large gathering
armed with spears guns slaves and bows
and arrows. The farmers are fair skinned
tenance. They are evidently immigrants
to this upland in comparatively recent
black. many with curly hair, thick lips
and a distinctly negro look. They. are sup
try and of the ancient Dravidian stock.
AS a rule these agrestic slaves are down,
casion, thanks to an ample supply Of
Dutch courage in the form of strong go
gering. not to say truculent They had
with them their hunting dogs. a yellow
and cunning The tiger had killed a COW
the preceding afternoon and dragged il
side. Within three hours nets had been
run round the wood and all night fires
thumped accompanied by profuse swear
ing at the tiger and all his female rela-
sheep nets; they We're fastened lightly
about six feet high and hung so that
they would bag easily when the animal
was given spear and the sport be-
We're sent within the wood Where they !
climbed trees and acted as markers. Then
stones flung ana the dogs let loose The
din terrific. but suddenly above it ali |
came the unmistalable roar of tiger.
Inc excitement was intense u ne SAI1a
voices of the markers in the trees coulo |
up the hill: he is running to the right; /
he has turned back. he is going to rush |
is very angry had been posted at the
end of an open glade. two OF the farmers
for the beast to break cover, but they did !
not agree with me For moment /
and coming straight toward me was an /
infuriated tiger, two dogs baying at his |
flank Between me and him was a himsy
sheepnet, nothing more; the only weapon /
had was rusty spear 1 suppose all the |
sins OF my lie should nave croWded INTO |
my brain at that moment. I should |
have thought of fighting wild beasts at |
or something else. thought or |
I was drunk, mad drunk. with |
excitement. besought the royal beast to I
charge; 1 shouted wild challenges at him. /
was consumed with a burning desire 70 /
drive my spear home. After that he might |
chaw me up for all ] cared 1t was not to /
be: he turned short five yards from the |
net Ten minutes later 1 saw him rush +
out higher up the hill and roll over and |
over in the net for all the world like /
rabbit A dozen spears were IN /
him at the instant He had no chance /
whatever. It is rare that a. man is hurt |
during the rush the fatalities chiefly oc-
cur when the tiger sullxs. and q. man we'll /
prfned with drink is sent into the wood to /
stir him up This drunkenness is the rea-
son why few Europeans hear OF tiger net
ting and why one is never allowed to |
stand in the likeliest spot. The farmers /
fear a drunken spear thrust, so easily 4
given in the excitement of the moment.
However. I was fortunate. and those five /
seconds when ] thought the tiger would /
hIilliner nOTN -,