The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1908-05-19
CAPTURED BY A TIGER.
The Fearful Experience Of an English
Sportsman.


Sportsman.
It Is not often that a person who has
been in the claws of a tiger can tell
later how the experience seemed to
aim. John Bradley, an English sports
man, had the good lue to escape with
his life from such a predicament and
in his Narrative of Travel and Sport
tells what the sensation was like. BE
was hunting tigers in the eastern part
Of Burma when he met with the adj
venture. Two other Englishmen were
with him at the time:
We marched along carelessly, with
out observing order or caution, and
were not prepared to take advantage
of Akbar's warning when he exclaim-
ed, Beware, sahib!" and a full grown
tiger went past us at gallop.
A struggling volley was fred after it,
and, although evidently not struck. the
beast stopped and, rearing up on its
hind legs, clawed the bark of tree
just as a cat scratches the leg of a
chair or table.
Mr.. Grant and | fired simultaneously,
but without effect, and before q
thought of the creatures intention had
time to flash through my mind l was
down under its paws.
Selling me by the left thigh, the tiger
shook me as a dog shakes a rat and
then, growing horribly, dragged me
at a tremendous rate through the thick
underground of the forest. l heard
the frightened shouts of my compan-
ions and the report of several shots,
and then a dizziness came over me, but
| did not lose consciousness.
AS was jolted through the forest
several times caught hold of the trees,
but the tiger, growing fiercely. shook
me free in an instant. All this time,
although quite calm and collected,
felt a strong desire to preserve my ex-
istence and never for a moment ex-
perienced that apathy with regard to
the danger that some persons have de-
scribed under similar circumstances.
How long l was in the jaws of this
brute l cannot tell 1t seemed to me
an age before the creature stopped
My companions afterward declared
that l had been dragged at least halt
a mile from the spot where l was first
seized They followed as fast as they
could run and, although l was un-
aware of it at the time, never lost
sight of the beast To this circum-
stance l undoubtedly owe my life, for
had there been any delay in rendering
me assistance it must have been fatal
to me
The moment the tiger halted 1t re-
leased my thigh and seemed to be at
tracted by the approach of my com
panions, although as yet l did not see
them myself Taking advantage OF
this release. tried to escape to the
shelter Of some tall bushes near al
hand
In an instant and with a terrible roaI
the creature bounced upon me. Selling
me this time by the shoulder and al
the same time decorating my chest
with its claws.
A shot was fred. and l heard the
bullet whistle overhead. Fear Of hit
ting me had caused them to aim toe
high. A second and third shot were
equally unsuccessful. and the tiger
again releasing me, began to lick Ut
the blood which oozed through my
jacket. l began to feel very faint and
could not suppress groan. Several
times the tiger dabbed his paws. ap
parently in play. about my face, but
did not use its claws. fortunately fol
me.
Presently the beast seemed to be
seized with a sudden rage and began
to spit like an angry cat at some one
approaching, whose footsteps ! could
hear, but whom l could not see owing
to my position, for | was lying fat Oh
my back. There was the sharp bang Of
rifle close to my head, a heavy weight
fell across me. and then ] compre
hended that my friend was pulling me
from under the dead body of the tiger