The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1905-05-10
"A Tiger Hunt i'm China.
By F. Hayley Bell.


menced by prodding gingerly at the eX-
treme edges of the jungle-melted
away, and p. and | concluded that,
since beating was impossible, we must
watch over bait again.
This time we were ensconced in our
tree long before sunset, with a goat
for bait. Hardly had the moon risen
than out stalked, at about 100 yards
range, an enormous tiger, who strolled
nonthalantly across the glade and dis
appeared into the opposite cover. Again
we pulled furiously at the bait. Not
sound followed, and, after some hours
wait, we descended, to find poor nanny
whether of pure fright or because
she was possibly in extremis when pur-
chased-was dead!
After long whispered conversation
as to whether tigers took carrion or
not, we again trudged sadly home. Per-
sonally, | incline to the opinion that
we did not talk and laugh enough, also
that cigar would have much improved
our chances. Be that as it may, our
third attempt was made from ma.
chan. p. and built it next morning,
and an interested audience of some
fifty old women and children sat round
and commented We followed out a
large bush. and built the. platform up
inside; on the top we put cunning
roof of plated leaves. Derisive ac-
quaintances, who had never even seen
tiger running wild, rode out from
the settlement and asked If it was a
race meeting or Punch and
Judy show? But we were satisfied; at
trees with all manner Of nocturnal in
sects, and we made 1t very comfortable
with mattress and cushions. Here
we watched over Piggy II. for three
nights without result. On the fourth
we tried to tempt the tiger with dog,
which, however, apparently gnawed
through its rope and escaped, the most
| serious part of the incident being that
neither my companion nor | were
awake at the time.
Alas! that such a trivial incident
should cause even temporary estrange-
ment between two fast friends. Even
if it was my watch, there were plenty
more dogs to be had; besides, the dog
had been sleeping comfortably when
last remembered. However, P. gath
cred up his textbooks and his punkah
coolie-whom he now called a shikari
and pegged out claim at the other
end of the jungle; while | decided,
since our quarry would not follow the
rules as laid down in books, to try to
deceive him with simple plan of my
own. At sunset, then, with several
natives, proceeded to tree some 100
yards from the one intended to occu-
| py. Here we tied up lean, scraggy
pony and made the most noisy and
shameless preparations for snaring the
tiger. Soon after dark settled down
crep quietly out of the tree, stole back
to the camy, and enjoyed the first
nights rest had had for a week. At
three | was called, and went down to
my own tree. Now, l wal not guaran-
tee this plan as infallible, and it may
be that the result had nothing to do
original idea; but about half an hour
after the first streak Of dawn, and in
light by which IA carbine is my
only excuse for not dropping him there
and then, magnificent tiger emerged
from the dense cover and passed with
in so yards of my tree. At my first
shot the brute bounded into the air
and made dash in my direction. ap-.
preaching to within twenty yards Of
the tree, where | gave him second
through the right shoulder. With a
snarl like that of dog, the animal dis
appeared into the cover again, and |
determined, in spite of our last fiasco,
to try beat again.
Within an hour had collected thir-'
ty men, and sent out coolies to find p
The animals trail was easy to follow,
for the bushes were splashed with
blood, but the underground was so
thick that in some places it was
necessary to crawl on hands and knees
In this position suddenly heard roar
from the right of the line-of which
was the center-and howl from one
of the men. Pushing through as fast as
could l found an unfortunate beater
had literally stumbled on the tiger and
got badly mauled, his heel and the sole
of the foot being half torn off. ! direct
ed two men to carry him out, and was
Just about to follow when saw
through the foliage the yellow and
black stripes of the tiger ssaacflg
few yards off and perfectly motionless,
evidently listening to the banging and
the bowling of the beaters, who were
closing round. took steady Shot at
what imagined to have been his ribs,
and the brute went down with roar,
at which all the men near me fed.
| Thara Yera many trees aropnd me.