Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-26
NAVIGATING TIGERS
BY A. R. PINCI

him. We reached that country, and after
fooling away several days were told that the
natives had been disturbed by man-eating
tiger. Imagine our delight when one OF our
| former colleagues, then connected with the
Indian Government, invited us to join him
in the hunt.
The party was arranged at once. 1t in
cludcd four hunters, soldiers in Cecils regl
ment. After parley it was decided that the
| best method was to beat up the animals from
| their lairs rather than shoot them from the
safety of a howdah on an elephant. tramp
| through some of the most wonderful tropical
countries | ever visited brought us to the
place said to be infested by man-eaters. We
were gree ed by natives, who focked about
us shouting welcome. We selected what
seemed to us the most trustworthy Indian
| there to lead us to the confines of the forest.
| The trees were 50 thickly scattered, and the
| leaves of some SO entwined, that the light
could not penetrate the heavy leaf netting,
| and all about us was obscure.
| We held our rifles ready for any emer-
gency, while the shkarces beat the way. We
went through a vast stretch of dry, stumpy
cracking grass, which reached up to Our
knees, for about five miles. At this point we
found some macerated human bones, and
farther on a skull.
| II say, Boys" Cecil whispered, that
/
| How near" was asked.
| Not right here; but in the vicinity, TWEEN
ty or thirty miles. Tigers, leopards, and
| lions always stay near the water, and those
remains" pointing to the bones, indicate
| that water is near"
THE march was resumed. We trod along
cautiously, never failing to look back,
until in the distance we discerned flicker
ing spots that glared through the endless
stretch of trees. 1t was the rejecting water
of lake, and we decided that the tigers
Jungle was somewhere near its shores The
sowars Immediately selected the most likely
tree upon which to build the wooden plat
form, strong enough to hold all of us COM
fortably. We reconnoitered. At one point
we discovered traces of claws on the damp
ground, and this plainly told us that the ami
NAL had been drinking there that very morn
ing.
When poking about we were startled by a
| huge snake, which we fortunately killed
with one shot from an express 1t was good
craftsmanship, too. After awhile we re-
turned to our tree and lent a helping hand to
speed the work. One of the sowars carried
the calf that was to serve as bait, and its
plaintive wall told how strongly it objected
to being used for that purpose.
| About three hours passed, when a shrill
| cry reached our ears, and these unearthly
shrieks were later repeated. We ran as fast
as we could, and then suddenly realized that
one of our men was missing. The hunters
ran in the direction indicated by Cecil, who
stood on the platform. We could see them
as they advanced carefully through bush
of tall grass The sound of cracking wood
followed their entrance into the jungle. We
were always behind, and presently Cecil
joined u.s.
An instant, and he pointed out yellow
spot through the foliage-besde us! A shot
rang out-a moment of impatience silence!
We peeped through; but nothing was visible,
neither tiger nor man. Yet that yellow spot
was the tiger, which, We were satisfied, had
escaped unhurt. We found a boot sticking
out from a clump of dead leaves not far be-
yond the body of the missing sowar. And
then-then a clean hole running through
right over the heart!
We had shot him! The hole went clear
through. This should not surprise, since an
express rifle will kill with one shot eight men
placed in line one behind the other.
Our gladstone enthusiasm had quite SUBJ
sided at the mournful sight; but it gave us
greater vim to kill the animal. During our
walk back to the platform the sowars told
Cecil that, as they were eating, flash of
yellow passed before their eyes, followed by
the shrek, and the missing comrade. BY