Washington State journal and Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1906-1907, 1907-05-08

experience than that which Fl. S.
Rowe, of the Norris & Rowe circus
passed through with the escaped
Tigress, BABE, in the SHOWS of
the Sierras last year. Yet Mr.. Rowe
is alive to tell the tale, and he gives a
most graphic account of his adven-
lures:
We bought Babe from Jordans Royal
English Circus that was touring India
and disbanded. She was two years
of age at the time and those who have
seen her will coincide with me that
she is about the finest specimen and
most magnificently marked of any
Royal Bengal tigress that has ever
been seen in this country.
l received her personally at the
dock in San Francisco and was i'm
mediately impressed with her royal
beauty. took the greatest interest
in her and we apparently became fast
friends. In the menagerie she would
gaze after me and always seem to
single me out from the animal keepers
surrounding her. lost all sense of
fear of her and would often stroke her
head and back as she lay in the cage
softly purring.
She seemed SO play full and SO free
from the viciousness of her race,
though | we'll knew that cat animals
like her have absolutely no sense of
fear. Unlike lions they are not at
all afraid of fire arms and doubt
very much If anything could brighten
her proud spirit. Two seasons ago
we were making Sunday run from
Reno, New, to Marysville. Cal.
When in the very heart Of the snow
sheds in the high Sierras and about
mile from Summit, a cage project
ing over the ends of the car caught
in the beam of the tunnel and before
the train could be stopped an entire
fiat car containing dens and cages,
were swept from the train, still the
jar was not sufficient to awaken undue
alarm, as we thought that just the
steps of the car had been swept
away.
Arriving at the Summit, C. !.
Norris ran up to see the extent of
the damage and discovered what a
serious wreck we had. The dens
containing Babe, three big Siberian
bears, den of snakes, pythons, bulls,
ETC., case of monkeys, etc., were
missing. We Immediately made up
wrecking crew and with our engine
started down the mountain side. We
soon came across evidence of the
wrecked cages. The three bears were
partially devoured and they bore the
marks of the tigress. The snakes
were all dead from the cold and the
monkeys chartered to us from the
rafters of the snow sheds. We knew
babe" could not be very far away.
Herbert Rumley advanced through an
opening in the snow sheds and came
directly upon "Babe" sitting upon
her launches in the snow. He con-
tinued to advance, firing his pistol,
but instead of retreating, babe"
came forward to meet him and Rumley
promptly tore for tree. We discuss
ed the situation and decided to bring
the shifting den to the foot of the
tree, pass a rope through the den and
place the other end of the rope in the
hands of Rumley, stationed in the tree
top. Animals are curious and will
often initiate mems actions.
Babe" calmly surveyed US at our
preparations and we began marching
around the foot of the tree, she
followed. AS said, l lost all fear
of the brute, thinking she was merely
playful and would harm no one, if
she thought they were not afraid. She