Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-11-04


the view of getting their prey. The
literal meaning is for prey for seek
ing meat from God" King David df
he was the author of this psalm,
which is not called "a Psalm of
David'D was we'll acquainted with the
lion, for we read that when he was
a mere shepherd lad, in charge of
his fathers sheep, lion seized one
of the flock and "arose against him. "
but that David seized the wild beast
by the beard-no doubt the name
and slew him.
But we have wandered from our
subject. Tigers. so far as l am aware,
seldom, if ever, under cover of night
make an attack on bullock or other
beasts of burden collected together
in an encampment, and in this re-
spect differ from the lion. Leopards,
on the other hand. constantly proWl
around after dusk, and carry off goats,
sheep, and more especially wandering
dogs. Once. in the hot-weather months
of 1872, 1 was out with a friend, the
police officer of the district, encamp-
ed on a wild spot called Bala Behut,
in the Lullutpore country. Our tents
were pitched within the precincts of
a forest inhabited in those days by
wild animals of all kinds. My COM
panion had brought a native writer
with him, who on the line of march
bestrode a stout white pony. For
some reason of his own this baboo
one night foolishly tethered his steed
outside the camp circle and under a
large burgot tree. We had retired to
rest, and as usual police sentry
kept guard with a tulwar or sword
in his hand. / may mention that at
the time I speak Of there were yet
several outlaws wandering about in
small bands, who ever since the In
dian mutiny had escaped from the
vigilance of the authorities. Just be-
fore daylight an animal suddenly
sprang upon the white pony and
dragged him down onto his knees.
The pony struggled desperately and
set up a loud squeal; wild commo-
ton arose. Our sentry Immediately
ran forward to the rescue, when the
assailant quilted his hold on the pony
and skunk off. BY the time we had
turned out with our rifles the pony
had broken away from his heel
ropes, and stood trembling and bleed
ing profusely from a wound In the
throat. among our horses. The police
sentry and two camp followers, who
had obtained a good view Of the ma
rauder. declared it to have been a
tiger: but from the character of the
wounds. and the fact Of the pony's
having been able to make his escape
with comparatively slight injuries,
we arrived at the conclusion that the
assailant was only a panther or
leopard.
Lions, we are informed, travel
about or keep together in larger num-
bers than tigers ever do. Upward Of
"a
been come across in one body-a
truly formidable party; but tigers have
never been known to keep together in
anything approaching such numbers.
In former times, during the hot-weath-
er months, we not infrequently saw
three tigers at one time; but four was
exceptional, and only twice in recent
years have heard of five in one party.
Before quitting our subject we feel
bound to allude to an eXceDtional char
acteristic, and that a failing applying
to both lion and tiger, and, what is re-
markable. to these two giant cats
fauna felidae. We naturally would
expect perfection in every attribute
connected with power and strength in
two such champions of the type and
the order carnivora as these two great
creatures undoubtedly are, and yet we
know that neither the one nor the
other Is gifted with the power Of clam
bering uD a tree. The tiger, at any
rate, Is altogether wanting in this res
pect. He will make prodigious springs,
he will sometimes raise himself on his
hind legs against the stem of tree
when goaded to fury, and endeavor
with his forepaw to reach an enemy
seated above, but he cannot climb a
dr,-I Ht.ith oil
off the ground after the manner of the
ordinary cat; and from what l have
read I believe that exactly the same
remark applies to the lion. And why
is this so? I venture to say that the
one and only explanation applies to
both animals. If we scan them care
fully at our geological gardens, and
compare their build and general for
nation with that Of the jaguar or the
leopard close by-both expert climb
ers-we see at once that nature has
formed both lion and tiger of some
what different build from that of their
lesser brethren. Their strength, given
by nature no doubt to enable them to
destroy the life of large and powerful
prey, lies in the forepart of the body
The brawny neck, the broad, powerful
shoulders, the deep chest, and above
all the terrible, great muscular fore
arms, are all there and in every way
symmetrical; but the hinder-parts
show a falling away, the loins are
somewhat narrow, and the hindquar-
ters are far less powerful in build,
dropping almost in the lion. A full
grown male tiger, lusty and fat from
feeding on cattle, will probably reach
a weight of $50 pounds, and 1t is hard
ly surprising, after ALL that this great
and enormously heavy creature should
lack the power of ascending trees.
Nevertheless I have often felt surpris-
ed that some 1.-the, active tigress, when
wounded and rendered dangerous, has
rot attempted to reach her enemy
seated close above. We always en-
deavored before a beat commenced to
post the guns on platform or bough
of a tree fully fifteen feet from the
ground, which Is generally considered
to be a perfectly safe distance from
wounded tiger, provided always that
great care is taken in selecting tree
with no rocks or high ground anywhere
near to the tree-trunk. A sad accident
happened many years ago to an officer
stationed at Seepree, In Central lndla,
through neglecting this precaution. He
was posted in a tree fully sixteen feet
from the ground, but unfortunately
this particular tree grew too near TO
the rocky side of the nullah. A tiger
came forward, was fired at, ard wound
ed. The enraged animal instantly
glded forward, and in a second reach
ed some hi"h ground almost on level
wit ,ar,am c.; sprang at him, seized
him by the arm, and tore him down
from the tree, mauling him very Sc
verely, and then passed swiftly on.
The unfortunate officer was immedi-
ately carried into Seepree, but died
soon afterward from the effects of the
terrible injuries he had received
Chambers Journal.