Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1905-02-02
THE
SIXTH
SHOT:
s>>>>~o>~~~>G

NO" said the Major, Il don shoot
that is in the sense In which you en-
ploy the word in England. have never
been able to regard the shooting OF
grouse, pheasants and game Of that
sort as a sport at ALL. The mere ex-
ercise Of skill is not enough for me.
must have danger: In the absence OF
that fail to see anything Interesting
in any of the so-called field sports.
Danger.' pursued the Major with en-
thusasm. "To be in imminent peril OF
ones life! Ah! that is the true the
4 only genuine happiness. ~e'
The pursuit of danger of all kinds.
has been a passion with me. Call it
Z weakness if you will admit that On
occasion it has led to awkward situa-
tons; on active service, for instance,
when l have been entrusted with the
I carrying out of plans which were
based on g presumption OF normal eau
ton in the officer chiefly responsible.
1t was this that led to my retirement;
for concluded at last that chessbcard
war was not the business for me. + 5
What was the narrowest' shave you
ever had, Major?" inquired somebody.
1t is hard" replied the Major, with
an air Of considering the question care
fully, ito say. But" he added after a
shght pause, 81 can easily name the oc-
cas0n On which | remained in pO-
'itlon Of extreme peril for the. longest
ume II you like I will tell you about
it."
lhere were murmurs of appreciation,
ana Mr.. Hawkins cordially urged the
Aalor to whirl in and .toot his horn.
II was said the old gentleman, af-
ter preparatory clearing Of his throat
uuflng what l may call a semi-ofici cial
"ur OF the Malay states that l took
aoout fourteen years ago. In the in
'erFals of my business at the various
eouFls had good deal of shooting
VI Che kind that l consider worth
"nlle' for several times l stayed in
Wv Vsns where it was quite a common
mug for tigers to break = into the
a'uses at night, and | remember once;
~ 'ohofe. waking up to find a black
eua ean'neF licking away ats.my shaving
si lam On the dressing table. l killed
a'n with my revolver. without getting
oa' ~ OF bed, but it was a good quarter
~ w. al hour before l could get to sleep
"eaia' "n These things upset one.
va". nus | was going to tell you-the ad
~ ,sD'ure speak of occurred in g. part
W wi, 'ne country about four days ride
ano soa. from Malacca. | have seen q
hva.. a ueal OF jungle, and a good many
AN. ns grounds; but never met with
~ ~ forest growth so dense and i'm
e''a nlaS aple as that was, nor found any
a,~'e aru stocked with such an extraordin
.up1 ploluslon of game, big and little
neno, nal l was going to tell you hap
fo0,;u, u one evening when l had-mos
c,a, ly-strayed off alone from m,
tha thp along the side of the stream O,
So oanks of which it was pitched
yoroy oniy weapon l had was the re
aho 0' !! IN my Eelt. l went a consider
hon, Instance, and in about half al
ran : came to spot where the jungl
vatou uo"n to within fifty yards of tn
t".U sr. 1t was while nv back wa
ypaa. eu 10 the dense mass of trees an
ava" ''loh that stretched interminabl
Aed eastward that l heard the mu
turnasa STUNT sound in the jungle. AS
hamS, round there was a crash {
npled vegetation, and in the moo,