Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1908-11-06
BATTING THE TIGER
DANGEROUS SPORT INDUCED IN
BY JAvANEsE.
Captured Monarch OF the Jungle
Turned Loose In Public Square
and Worried to Death by
Men with Spears.

Tiger-baiting as practiced by the |
Javanese would seem to be the most |
daring of all sports. 1t thrills the
blood of European spectators and some |
times makes them wish they could
look on from a balloon. The tiger 10
the most ferocious of the cat family,
and the hunting of him In India Is not
conducted without an elaborate outnt
of elephants, shikaris and ithes, yet
the natives of Java let him loose In
| public square and worry HIM to death
with their spears. The batting 10 an
| annual festival called "r@mpok." III
takes place in the palace Enclosure OF
the native sultans. The Enclosure is
mile square and has walls IA feet
high and about as thick, but the bait
ing is held In long, open space called
the taloun- aloun," bordered by stately
waringins, or sacred trees, OF the iSr
land. A grand stand occupied by tho
sultan, his family and foreign guests
faces the center of the square, where
eight or ten cages, each containing
tiger, are placed.
J Thousands of spearmen, armed With
sharp-pointed lances, march up ana
surround the square Behind the spear
men are native spectators. II In q
thrilling moment when the sultan
gives a signal for the sport TO begin.
Two unarmed men approach one pi
the cages, pull up the trap door and
, take to their heels. They have JOB
9 of doubtful honor. The Jungle mon
0 ster is, perhaps, in an ugly mood and
Q inclined to take revenge on the FIRST
) human heing at hand.
q One bound and he could overtake
n the fleeing men. Yet, 1t 10 more likely
a that the tigers spirit Is cowed by loni
!. captivity, and that he. dazed by q
= much publicity refuses TO bulge frpn
~ his cage. In that case pistol 10 nr0t
10 near him, and the startled beast emiti
a roar as he leaps from his iron prison
le A cry arises from the spectators, AM
ID the spearmen stiffen their lances aa b
Ia dashes straight toward them. He see
q too many lances in front. He stop
suddenly and thinks it over. Then h
- walks sulkily around the square, hi
- 1.-THE body in partly crouching pc
10 sition, his tail moving slowly from sid
ID; to side. his ears back and his yellol
so eyes ashine with ugly alertness. II
gives a hideous snarl, showing hi
powerful white teeth. as a handful {
pebbles are flung at him.
The little brown natives revile Il
he forest ruler and taunt him. They te
We him he is not in the jungle now. ar
re, will get his deserts for killing cAtt
m and eating little children. They o
or treat him to give sample OF htS T
N. puted ferocity. Finally a speaFms
ro | reaches forward and gently ppicl
him in the flank. Like fash Il
maddened tiger leaps high in tho Q
attempts 20 pass the serried wall. b
he is caught ON the points OF sewer
lances, and falls back into the shual
ng amid the shouts Of the spectators.
snarls with pain and rage, rolls aroul
in a whirlwind of black end yelis
IS. stripes, springs across tho fncloSu
on and makes another try 20 escal
it'll Again the lances catch him, and I
,ow blood flows from many wounds. He
an insane with rage and dashes abo
attacking all sides Of the living b
rier. II Is rarely that he succeeds
ue Overlapping the spearmen, as . eli
did once, and landed ON the heads
for rearward spectators, who shrieked
/ terror ana fell over one another, VII
hen the savage beast made for the Of
and gate and regained his liberty in
,ost tropical forest. Generally tho wounl
had animal Iails ION eAnasSe.'I III, anu
batting goes on until all the tigers
ms killed. The sultan pays high pri
atai for the animals captured for the #
that pok"-Wide World MagaziRs,