The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-05-26
POWER OF THE EYE
From Forest and Stream:

FROM FOreSt ana stream:
It is popular belief, more or less
loosely formula ted, that there is some
thing 80 terrible and majestic in the
human eye that man has only to fix
his gaze on the most terrible denzens
Of the forest to inspire them with awe.
Numerous instances, and some we'll
authenticated, are on record of unarm-
ed men who have met the lion or the
tiger in his native jungles, fixed their
eyes on his and compelled him to
turn tail.
There is, then, somefoundation for
the popular belief, but if a man, hav-
ing unquestioned faith in the awe-in-
spring power Of the human eye, pro-
poses to put it to the test in his own
person, considerable discretion is to be
recommended, not only in the selection
of his beast but also in the selection of
his locality. For example he should
not make his first experiment with a
rampageo bull in ten acre lot at
any considerable distance from the
fence, nor would we recommend a trip
to the Rocky Mountains, with the OBJ
ject Of experime nting with a full grown
grizzly, for both bulls and bears are
fighting animals and have the habit Of
meeting their foes face to face.
The measure is successful only with
the cat family-lions, tigers, etc., and
by no means to be relied on with them,
Hope of success depends upon the fact
that the members of the cat family are
not to any extent fighting animals;
they do not hunt in packs and quarrel
over their prey; they very rarely quar-
rel with each other over their females
at mating season. and in striking their
prey they never strike in 'front.'
1t is beautiful provision of nature
that the lion the TIGER tho n0nfbor fhn
leopard and the whole family Of Felidae
are prompted by irresistible instinct o
seize their prey from behind, springing
on it with their whole weight, closing
their powerful jaws on the neck Of their
victim, and dislocating it with one
wrench, while their fierce claws pierce
the flesh and paralyze the muscular
powers. The tiger pursues the same
method, whether his prey is full
grown buffalo or timid fawn.
The slender doe with her fawn at her
heels, goes into cover for her wid-day
siesta, and confronts the lurking tiger
and she banks, stamps her foot and en-
deavors to bounce him; the tiger fixing
his eyes on hers, crawls little nearer;
paralyzed with terror, the poor beast
is unable to sustain the basilisk glance
any longer. she turns. as if to essay re-
treat. At that instant the tiger
springs, grasps her neck in his WISE
like jaws, and the victim dies with
out a pang.
If the tiger comes unexpectedly on
q powerful animal like the wild buffalo
and it offers battle, the tiger declines
it, but if hungry he will take advantage
of what cover there is and maneuver
to get at the tail end Of the buffalo
and then make his fatal spring.
With civilized men the tiger is more
wary. for ne stands more in awe o.
their appliances than of the brute
strength of the buffalo Many a hun
ter going through the Jungle has
passed whiting easy reach of the tiger
lying in wait for him, and before he
has gone another hundred yards, the
same tiger has again been in position
and yet has wanted the courage to
spring; even man-eating tiger, If
familiar with firearms, might hesitate
to spring on man that had the cour-
age to confront him.
In the jungle he would not attempe
It; If brought face to face with a man
he would crouch, and if the man did
not turn to flee the tiger would disap-
pear as suddenly as If the earth had
swallowed him up but in a few minutes
he would have secured the desired
spring.
This is not because the tiger is a
coward, nor because the human eye il,
capable of dominating him. When i,
becomes a question Of fighting there
Is no sign of quailing in the tiger or
lion, but when 1t is mere question of
taking their prey, the destructive in
stinct is a purely pleasurable one, the
enjoyment of which would be- marreq
If they attacked In front, and provoked
their prey to battle, and 1T Is a merci-
ful provision Sof. nature that they show
no such tendency. DIX sd II fESsS