The Irish standard., 1904-11-05
HELDCAPTIvE BY A TIGER.
Experience Of an English Officer With
4 Nan Eater.

Nan Eater.
Major Ridnn of the Bengal I.anciers
was hunting with small party, and
one afternoon he wandered away from
camp Il short distance and stretched
out under tree for Il nap. says the
Pail Mall Gazette. He had not slept
more than Il quarter Of an hour when
he was aroused by what seemed to be
! the purring of IL cat, only the sound
was much louder. He had never heard
the purr of Il tiger or Il panther, but
realized in an instant that one or the
other had come creeping upon him as
he slept
The tiger, as was afterwurd ascer
tanned, had his lair within Il few hun
drel feet of where the soldier was w.
ing. After Il minute or two paw was
placed on the officers shoulder and
lie was turned over Oh the broad of
his bnck.
! Through his cyewinkers he caught
sight of the paw. and then realized
that he was in the clutch of full
grown tiger. \ panther hasn't the
, good nature Of a tiger. and is also
more treacherors. A tiger will starve
before he will feed on anything he has
not killed with his own paws, while
Il panther will eat anything that hap
pens to be in his way.
! When the man had been turned OH
/, his back. the tiger sat up like Il dog.
, and purred like the great cat he was.
The beast was rolling and purring
! when one of the horses in camp ut
tered a neigh. The major was watch
| ing through half-cloSed lids. and the
move the tiger made aStonshpd him.
He turned like Il flash and bounded SIX
; feet into the air. to whrl again and
stand head to camp.
AS the neigh was not repeated, the
tiger finally wheeled around and lay
down With his head on his paws. and
fastened his eyes on the soldiers face.
There WAS Il long ten minutes dur
ing which the major lived IL month for
every minute. Then the beast slowly
rose up, and, with Il touch of his right
paw turned the man over on his face.
I After shifting at tie head, he ran hfs
nose down the leg clear to the ankle
One leg of the soldiers trousers had
been pulled up. leaving his ankle bare,
and the beast gave the flesh a couple
of lirks with his tongue that felt like
Il file.
The taste didn't seem to tickle his
palate for some reason. and he re-
turned to his playful mood. Once as
I he paved ut the jacket, Il claw caught
and ripped it down as Il sharp knife
would have done. Once. too. he stood
with his paw on the mans hand, but
as his claws were Slleatlcl the paw
felt like Il ball of velvet.
The major was rolled over ut least IL
dozen times by the tiger. and the beast
lrapr,l over him back and forth like IL
dog at play. and he scmed to get Il good
deal Of amusement out Of it and to
preserve his good nature
He finally fastened his teeth in the
mans hunting belt and lifted him
clear of the ground as easily as Il man
might lift IL kitten. If the soldier had
not been told over and over again that
Il tiger eats only what he kills, he
| would have made sure that was to be
carried off.
! lie had IL revolver in his belt, and as
his right hand fell down it encountered
the butt of the weapon. He might
have drawn it and killed the beast,
or Il shot might have frightened him
away. but it was hardly II chance in Il
hundred.
J 1t may he that the tiger was holding
the man up to see il there was life in
him. and was hoping to feel him make
il movement. If there had been the
stir of IL hand. death would have been
swift and mercilcss.
After swinging the man pedulum
fashion for Il full minute. the beast laid
him down as carefully as you please,
%llnwed the belt in two. and pulled it
off. and carrying one end in his mouth
he froickcd away and was hidden by
the jungle.
An hour later the ma .jor'S party had
, formed Il Gordon around the tigers lair
and sent in the heaters At the first
uprolr the beast charged out with !,
fierce %rnwl and killed Il nativc with
one blow of the paw which had treated
the soldier 50 gently.
Three minutes later he wheeled and
charged in the other direction and
| though he received bullets from tive
!, different rifles. he sl,l.ng upon Captain
| West of the artillery and carried him
800 feet before falling dead. The of.
iicrr. who had been seized by the neck
I WAS dead long before the tiger gave up
| the ghost.