The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1903-11-02
THE JUNGLE HAN

While ! was hunting in the province
OF Benssl with officers belonging TO
the Seventh native infantry we got
word one day that a wild man had
been seen in a jungle ten miles away.
The man was a native who had
served for several years as a soldier,
and he had a good military record
and was known to be of peaceful dis
position. One day while on a scout
through the forest with his company
he was bitten on the neck by a spider.
The wound gave him great pain. and
he was sent back to the hospital for
treatment. He was under the sur.
geon's care for ten days and was
discharged as cured. but one morning
when at drill he suddenly began
whoopins and shouting and acting in
a singular manner. When his com
raGcs attempted to restrain him he be
came vio.eat. and. casting them of. he
bolted across tie parade and down the
road. lie was pursued, but he gained
tie forest. 81 Elile away. ahead Of ali.
and was successful in hiding himself
= long search had been made for him
at the time. but without avail.
We at once moved across the coun
try ard located IN Il village. ana next
morning Il Cozen natives were sent eli
on Il scoGt. TAey were back before
noon with tie news that the wild mar
had moved his retreat about five miles
o.. III. ,--4 IL, xv-,- .--frgu4Tv 81 FrgfG
IF Us. He had taken refuge in another
jungle near another village. and we
broke camp and rode down to the place
and beat mp the thickets for hours.
We caught sight of the m-n once or
twice. hat he was a long way off and
acted as if be suspected a trap. Next
day he was twelve miles away, and
IN the course Of 4 week he had trav-
e'ed sixty miles. When he moved we
moved after him. We attempted no
trick and made no demonstration TO
alarm or anger him.
Our persistent pursuit had the effect
Of putting him in a passion. however,
for on the sixth day of the chase. as
we were en- route to a village near
which he ha> gone into hiding. he
entered the place shouting in fury and
Drained five people with his club. lie
had stripped Off most Of his clothing
and was naked from the waist up.
After killing the people be fred sew
cral huts and ran away and hid in a
ravine.
It was now plainly evident that we
must change our tactics. If the man
was enraged he might attack us at
any moinent and if he did so we
should have to fire on him in self de
Tense.
The ravine in which he was hiding
vas about Il mile long. and mt the
lower end it opened into a path much
used by TIE natives. If the wild MAJ
was not hunted out or alarmed he
would probably come down he ravine
and enter this path.
After looking the ground over IT
was decided to dig d pitfall and sci
some traps along tue path, and soon
after noon a force Of natives was set
at work. They dug Il pit twenty feet
long by fourteen deep. and when ready
Il was covered over the same as if to
catch 4 tiger. a few yards to north
and south of the pit we arranged
nooses which led over the limbs of
trees. and by SHUTDOWN we felt sure
of our nan if he anne that way. Two
soldiers and three natives were hidden
near the pit 10 act as sentinels and
give the alarm. and all was quiet il
the camp and village at the usual hour.
At . O'Clock in the morning we were
turned ott by an alarm from the sen
tinels. ana our whole force at once has
~tened to the pit. The wild man had
come down the ravine and fallen into
the pit. Notwithstanding its depth
he was out again in a moment and but
for the trap on the north side we
should have lost him. lie ran into
that, was caught by the leg and sus-
pended in the air. and when we ar
rived he was screaming and shouting
end cursing in a way TO make ones
hair stand up.
lie was defenseless. but for a long
time 10 one dared to go nea him. He
made the most tremendous efforts 10
escape. aud but for our throwing
noosed -Upes over his head and draw
ing them tight he would oon have re-
gained his liberty. When we finally
had him fast and secure he had tired
himself out and was a pitiable object
10 behold. He had been heard TO use
Il few English words. but no n had
heard him make sentences before. His
speech came back to him as we stood
around him. and he used many of the
commands given a soldier at drill.
We remained in camp four days after
capturing the wild man, hoping to sub
due him and make him presentable al
headquartars. but he was worse than
n wild beast. Not a stitch Of clothing
could be kept on him. and he had TO ."
bound hand and foot all the ~ lie
preferred raw meat 10 cooked. ana
when fed he would growl and roar as