Oxford eagle., 1908-08-27
BATTING THE TIGER
DANGEROUS SPORT INDUCED IN
BY JAvANEsE.
Captured Monarch Of the Jungle
Turned Loose in Public Square
and Werried TO Death by
Men with Spears.

Tiger batting as practiced by the
Javanese would seem to be the most
daring Of all sports II thrills the
blood Of European spectators and some.
times makes them wish they could
look on from n balloon The tiger lis
the most ferociOus of the cat family
and the hunting OF him In India Is not
conducted without an elaborate outfit
% elephants. shikaris and rifles. yet
the natives OF Java let him loose in a
public square and Worry him to death
with their spears. The batting Is an
annual festival called 'rampok." II
takes place in the palace inclOsure Of
tho native sultans The inclosure is
4 mile square and has walls IL feet
high and about as thick. but the bait.
ing is held in long. open space called
the "aloun aloun." bordered by stately
waringins. or sacred trees. Of the Is
land A grand stand occupied by the
sultan. his family and foreign guests
faces the center OF the square. where
eight or ten cages. each containing a
tiger. are placed.
Thousands Of spearmen. armed with
sharp-pointed lances. march up and
surround the square. Behind the spear
men are native spectators. II is a
thrilling moment when the sultan
gives a signal for the sport to begin.
Two unarmed men approach one of
the cages. pull up the trap door and
take TO their heels. They have a Job
of doubtful honor The jungle mon
ster is. perhaps. In an ugly mood and
inclined to take revenge on the first
human heing at hand
One bound and he could overtake
the fleeing men Yet. It is more likely
that the tigers spirit is cowed by long
captivity. and that he. dazed by so
much publicity. refuses to bulge from
his cage. In that case a pistol Is fired
near him. and the startled beast emits
a roar as he leaps from his iron prison
A cry arises from the spectators. and
The spearmen stiffen their lances as he
iashes straight toward them. He sees
too many lances in front. He stops
suddenly and thinks IL over. Then he
walks sulkily around the square. his
1.-THE body in a partly crouching po
sition. his tail moving slowly from side
to side. his ears back and his yellow
ayes ashine with ugly alertness. He
gives hideous snarl. showing his
powerful white teeth. as a handful OF
pebbles are flung at him.
Tho I4fsfa natE,.- -,,.fta a..
forest ruler and taunt him. They tell
him he is not in the Jungle now. and
will get his deserts for killing cattle
and eating little children. They en-
treat him to give a sample of his re-
puted ferocity. Finally a spearman
reaches forward and gently pricks
him in the flank Like fash the
maddened tiger leaps high in the air
attempts to pass the serried wall. but
he IS caught on the points of several
lances. and falls back into the square.
amid the shouts Of the spectators He
snarls with pain and rage. rolls around
in a whirlwind of black and yellow
stripes, springs across the inclosure
and makes another try to escape.
Again the lances catch him. and the
blood flows from many wounds. He is
insane with rage and dashes about.
all sides of the living bar
rier. II is rarely that he succeeds in
overlapping the spearmen. as a tiger
did once. and landed on the heads Of
rearward spectators. who shrieked in
terror and fell over one another. while
the savage beast made for the open
gate and regained his liberty in the
tropical forest Generally the wounded
animal falls from exhaustion. and the
spearmen make an end OF him. The
batting goes on until all the tigers are
killed. The sultan pays high prices
for the animals captured for the ram
pok. Wide World Magazine.