Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1902-12-24
: by tn G
Major Resigned
copyright, 1902. by C. p. Lewis


nights in the jungle simply to prove
that the tiger was much abused ami
NAL. What the major said when tight
he always backed up when sober. No
matter how drunk he got, he always
clearly remembered the subjects Of
conversation.
Next day after his boast he made
ready to carry it out He was in COM
mand at the post, and there was no
superior to order him. The subordi-
nate officers, individually and collec-
lively, appealed to him not to expose
his life but he was firm as a rock
II said l would do 1t, and do it
WILL" was his reply, and it is on rec
ord that he did do It,
Kurnool Is near the foothills Of the
Eastern mountains, in the province of
Madras, and tigers were as plentiful
In the jungles as dogs In the street.
In that same year the civil service re-
ported fiftyfive people as having been
killed by tigers. A detail of fifteen
men was sent out a distance of four
miles to cut path and make little
clearing, and before nightfall Major |
Clayton rode to the spot. He had no
weapons Of defense and no tent He |
simply proposed to sit at the foot Of |
q tree all night and take his chances.
| 1T is still looked upon in India as
the biggest fool thing ever INDUCED in
| by a white man. Aside from tigers
the jungle was infested with panthers,
hyenas and cObras, and there did not
seem to be one chance in ten thousand
that the major would come off with
his life He did, though. He not only
passed one night in the jungle, but
three nights, and he came out of
it without a scratch. While he made
light of the dangers there was no doubt
that his courage had been severely
tested. He admitted that tigers and
panthers had prowled about within
few yards of him and that he had
fought hyenas with club, but he was ,
inclined to hold the situation in con. 1
tempt. ,
Unfortunately for Major Clayton, the
papers published the details of his dar- ,
ing feat, and the brigadier at Mysore {
thus became acquainted with them. :
He forwarded sharp reprimand, back !
ed by a threat, and the pig headed ;
major defended his position In a re- =
port. This brought about a breach, +,
and the culprit was suspended from
duty pending an investigation. He h
might possibly have pulled through h
again but for his own further actions.
He returned to the jungle and passed
q fourth night and then boldly an
nounced in the public prints his belief ~
that no white man in India had ever u
been killed by a wild beast. In the :,
course of couple of weeks he got the -
alternative of handing In his resigna- o.
ton or of being brought to court mar =;
tial, and he sent In his papers He had ~ y,
not been clear of the service a week =.
when his death occurred. :.
On the great highway running from y
KurnOOl TO Bellary, Cuddopah and Ny
sore, as on other highways of India, 81
here are government bungalows for %
he use Of travellers. They are simply q
shelters, as every person must furnish u
ais own food and bedding. Major III
Clayton had started to ride to Bellary "a
md at midnight took up his quarters w
II bungalow. He had servant with ~
him, and there were several other tray w
'lers and their servants 1t was a si'
fright moonlight night, and after the
vening meal the major and four other
men, all of whom were civilians and 49,
acquainted with his case, sat on the
eranda smoking.
The former officer was rather bitter 1
gainst the military authorities as
nay be supposed, and would not adj X
nit that he had put himself in a false pc
osition. He thought hungry hyena
hight attack q helpless or sleeping
IAN at night, but that neither tiger
or panther could be brought to do it.
ii his arguments and contentious no
'ere at variance with established Iol
acts and his fellow travellers COM
ated them, and the dispute waxed mol
OF. They were all talking in loud ma
)nes and the major had just ex- a
ressed his contemnt for ali stotis "til
cs when O tiger left the cover of q Yol
lsh under which he must have been
for some time and advanced
slow trot across open ground A
rectly upon the men on the We doc
nda. His action was so bold that he gre
as taken for q dog. There were two stal
en- on each side Of the major, but as sho
e beast came on it leaped upon the rhe
'randa, seized the former soldier by sof'
e right shoulder and had turned to KEEP
ap TO the ground with him before VIII
~ one suspected his identity. Then One
e man kicked him and another On
abbed him by the tail. while third app
oke a chair over his head. The tiger his,
owled and shook his victim, but fee.
)uld not let 90. When seized, the Il
ajor cried out: 1t!
My God, it's tiger, and l have
ell all wrong"
Those were his only words. In "A
W seconds the beast had him on the man
ound and was galloping off with inhe
N. Guns were fired, and men shout pose
and ran after the beast but he ~
Id no attention to them. He leaped cant
ditch six feet WIDE sprang over was
ice. and after a run Of hundred Pres
Is over open ground he reac d the
lgle and disappeared Next morn
, pursuit was made, or rather an Oh
'estigation. About 200 feet from 'i,ie
, edge of the jungle what was left ID
the majors body after the tiger nc
j satisfied his hunger was found "'i''
buried, and that was the end of
l.