The San Angelo press. (San Angelo, Tex.) 1897-1907, 1904-02-11
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The Tiger Man.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

doc who was known rs the Tiger Man,
He was a high caste native. given TO
his books, and mucl, Of his philosophy
has been quoted IN European countries
He lived In the ruins of IN old temple
on the outskirts Of II dense Jungle,
and there he made and maintained
his fame Ms tanner of wild beasts,
particularly tigers. lie did not actu.
ally tame them, but the influence he
exercised over thcm was no css than
wonderful Even with thousand wit
ncsscs to cOrrulUrHtr facts one finds
II hard TO believe IN some Of his do
lngs
Had no been 50 minded he could
have cleared the whole province of
tigers in two or three years aud en-
richcd himself with the bounty offered
for their heads aud the heads Of other
dangerous beasts and deadly scrpcnts
hut lac positively refused to bring harm
tu single d"niz"u of the iungl" He
would throw nu obstacle IN the way of
hunters, and hc expressed no sorrow
when he looked upon u tiger slain 10y
others. but hc had laid down a rule
and nothing would induce him to
swrrvr from II II often happened
that natives who had lost relatives or
oxen 10y the hunger of the king of the
Jungle came to him and prayed for
vengeance, but IN every instance his
reply was.
u nn sorry For you. but tigers must
hnv" food ~ well HS mcn. will not
help you TO KIN one, but I will talk
10 the beasts and ask them to bc more
careful hereafter | am sure they will
do this for me"
Az soon ns the Tiger Mans rcputa.
tion began to spread there were
many who desired to put him to the
test, aud during The long years of his
life II was seldom that he refused A
hundred tines over he has gone out
into the Jungle alone at hight aud call
ell Il tiger To hlm aud led the beast 10
the ruins for all to see. Sometimes the
tiger would crouch aud crrrp and
whine and again he would he licrccly
defiant and menace the spectators.
IT the report CHnc that II tiger in n
certain district had killed human he.
ing, the man would set off for the place
without asking for fee OF reward. He
would learn all he could about the
beast and then enter the Jungle 10
search him out Sometimes lc would
BE- seeking for several days, and when
night overlook HIN he made his camp
among the beasts aud scrpcnts of the
thickcts. When the tiger had been
found, which was nearly always the
case IL he had not left for another To-
Cality, he would he taken 10y the ear to
the village In which no had seized his
victim and then be made TO roll IN the
dust by way of apology for his mis-
deed. He would then he told that he
must go at least lifty miles away ana
live OH the game OF the jungle FOR the
next month. and II has been proved
over and over again TINT the tiger new.
or failed TO disappear.
II was with the knowledge and ac-
tive participation of Il governor of In,
dla and not more than fifteen years ago
that the Tiger Man was put 10 the
hardest test of his life. He claimed inn
munity from every species of wild
beast and serpent, and he was sent in
to jungle in which three full grown
tigers had taken refuge from some
sportsmen, one of whom was the gov
ernor. The hunt had ended nj dusk
and the Tiger Man would have dark
ness against him as he pushed his way
through the Jungle The locality WAS
known to be- Infested with Cubrns, aud
just as the hunt was called oil one of
the party caught sight Of rogue
elephant stealing through the thirkrt.
No money would have hired II white
man to penetrate into the jungle nj
night AMI Il native would have lain
down in his tracks aud refused To stir,
no matter what punishment threaten
cd
There wcr" more than forty people
left behind rs the Tiger Man set forth
upon his crrnnd. lie bowed before the
governor and said he would bring in
at least one of the tigers one which
had been slightly wounded by bullet.
re was heard whsDIiug and chanting
nS pe Penetrated the thiCkrts, ana he
was hh&Ill -ILtoul lIIT'' h"uIS' "'h
Lc returned there were both commolion
and c6nstrrnation. lie was leading
the wounded tiger by the ear and was
followed by the two others, aud after
the tiger came the elephant. There was
yet more Around the mans left arm
was twiurd Il huge cobra with glitter.
ing eyes, and across his neck ana
shoulders was another.
4, "Suhib, | bring you these presents
from the Jungle" said the Tiger Man
as he halted u few yards away.
But the governor didn't want them,
What he wanted was TO see them re-
stored to their native wilds MS fast as
possible, particularly AS the elephant
pvinced disposition 10 charge the
crowd. The Tiger Man had the ad-
vantage, and he kept II for Il long half
hour He played with the deadly
robras as IL they had been twigs OF
willow, and they made not the slight"
est attempt to bite him. lie spoke to
the tigers In dialect they seemed to
understand. and though they growled
and showed their teeth they did us
bidding as he asked them to leap over