The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-05-23
CAPTURED BY A TIGER.
The Fearful Experience Of an English
Sportsman.

Sportsman.
1t is not often that a person who has
been in the claws of tiger can tell
later how the experience seemed to
him. John Bradley, an English sports
man, had the good luck to escape with
his life from such a predicament and
in his Narrative of Travel and Sport"
tells what the sensation was like. He
was hunting tigers in the eastern part
of Burma when he met with the ad-
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 excla:m-
ed, Beware sahib!' and a full grown
tiger went past us at gallop.
struggling volley was fired after 1t,
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 ard l fred simultaneously,
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 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
l did not lose consciousness.
AS was jolted through the forest
several times caught hold of the trees,
| but the tiger, growing fercely. 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 | 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 half
a mile from the spot where l was first
seized. They followed as fast as they
could run and, although l was I'M
aware Of it at the time, never los,
sight of the beast. To this circum
stance I undoubtedly owe my life. fol
had there been any delay in rendering
me assistance it must have been fata
| to me.
The moment the tiger halted it re
| leased my thigh and seemed to be at
tracted by the approach of my com
panions. although as yet l did not SET
them myself. Taking advantage Of
this release, tried to escape to the
shelter of some tall bushes near a
| hand
In an instant and with Il terrible roal
the creature bounced upon me, Selling
me this time by the shoulder and a
the same time decorating my ches
with its claws.
A shot was fred. and | heard thu
bullet whistle overhead. Fear OF hit
ting me had caused them to aim tot
high. A second and third shot wer'
equally unsuccessful. and the tiger
again releasing me, began TO lick VI
the blood which oozed through IN,
jacket l began to feel very faint ant
could not suppress a groan. Severa
times the tiger dabbed his paws. ap
parently in play. about my face, bu
did not use its claws. fortunately 70
me-
Presently the beast seemed TO b
seized with a sudden rage and begal
to spit like an angry cat at some on
approaching. whose footsteps | coul,
hear, but whom l could not see OWN
to my position. for was lying fat o.
my back There was the sharp bang 0
a rife close to my head, heavy weigh
fell across me. and then ] compre
hended that my friend was pulling n
from under tho 6"7d h"dr nf the tigel
chased two bronze busts exhibited i