Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1909-02-26
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 OF from a balloon. The tiger Is
the most ferocious Of the cat family,
and the hunting Of him in India is not
conducted without al elaborate outfit
of 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 al
annual festival called 'rampok." 1t
takes place In the palace Enclosure Of
the native sultans. The Enclosure is
a mile square and has walls Ii feet
high and about as thick, but the bait
ing is held In 4 long, open space called
the "aloun-aloun," bordered by stately
waringins. or sacred trees, OF the Is
land y 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 spcarmcn. armed with
sharp-pointed lances. march up and
surround the square. Behind the spear
men are native spectators. 1t is a
thrilling mOmen when the sultan
gives n signal for the sport to begin.
Two unarmed men approach one Of
the cages. pull up the trap door aud
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 Cowcd by long
captivity, and that he. daZcd by So
much publicity. refuses TO bulge from
his cage. In tint case n pistol is fired
near him, and the startled beast emits
a roar rs he leaps from his iron prison.
4 cry arises from the spectators, and
the sEearmen stif.cn their lances as he
dashcs 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 c%rouching po-
sition, his tail moving slowly from side
TO side. his ears back and his yellow
eyes ashine with ugly alcrtncss. He
gives a hideOus snarl. showing his
power full white teeth. as n handful of
pebbles are flung AT him.
The little brown natives revile the
forest ruler aad taunt him. They tell
him le is not In the jungle now. and
will set his deserts for killing cattle
and eating little children. They en-
treat him to give II sample Of his re.
puted ferOcity. Finally n spearman
reaches forward and gently prickY
him in the flank. Like n lash the
maddened tiger leaps high in the air
attempts to pass the serricd wall, but
he III caught on the points of several
!%anccs, 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 Enclosure
and makes another try to escape.
Again the lanccs catch him, and the
blood flows from many ""'mpds He is
insane with rage and ,-"hes about.
attacking all sides OF the living bar.
ricr. 1t is rarely that he succeeds in
overlapping the spearmen, as n tiger
did once, and landed on the heads oil
rearward spectators. who shrieked In
terror and fell over one another, while
the savage beast made for the open
gate and ~rcgnincd his liberty in the
tropical forest. Generally the wounded
animal falls from exhaustion, and thC
SDeaTmen make an end OF him. The
batting goes on until all the tigers arc
killed. The sultan pays high price.
for the animals captured for the ram
pok."-WiGe World Magazine.