The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-05-11
HUNTING A MAN-EATER

man took a different path, and as each
one of us had selected a native hunter
to trail the animal we could not get
lost These natives hunt entirely by
stealth, and are as keen on the scent
as a trained dog.
We penetrated to the creek and de-
termined to follow it upstream, as ono
of the natives assured me that he could
hear the cries Of the child. Although
/ could hear nothing, the stencil of the
animal was sickening at times. These
animals are not SO clean as they are
generally supposed to be. Crawling on
our hands and knees brought this fact
home to us rather forcibly. We con-
tinued on UP the creek until we gained
an open space.
The cropIching native started around to
the right to find where the tiger had
entered the jungle again. went to the
left. He had not gone twenty feet from
me when / saw the dirty yellow body
rise and poise for an instant and then
leap straight at the native, who also saw
him in time to swerve to one side. He
had only hunting spear about four feet
long with which to defend himself.
fired hastily. The native struck wildly
at the beast as he sprang away. The
spear penetrated the tigers jaw, and 1t
was so maddened with pain that it tore
up the ground in a terrible manner trying
to get the spear out of his mouth. I
opened fire on him, but owing to the
struggles and gathering darkness I did
not strike vital spot.
The Rescue.
Meanwhile the native had discovered
the child lying on the ground. 1t was
scratched, bruised, and bleeding, but still
alive. Hastily binding the wounds We
started back. The native led unerringly
back to the open country, where the
child was placed in its mothers arms.
Upon arriving I reported what had hap
pened to Lieut.. Preston. who had heard
the shooting and had made haste in our
direction. BY this time it was so dark
we could do nothing more, SO we re-
turned to camp. where Lieut.. Preston
told our experience to Col Price.
The next morning four squadrons of
cavalry were orderen out to surround
the jungle Natives were sent in to cut
paths through the growth Of soft prickly
pear and cactus Others with tin pans,
old kettles, horns or anything to make
a noise were ordered in to beat the bush
from one end to the other. 1t is a well
known ~fact that any wild animal is
afraid Of a strange noise. All day long
we patrolled the edge Of the jungle. Two
days we kept this up, forming picket
lines and building fires at night The
morning of the third day we were all up
early as we had only a small part Of
the jungle left to beat. and the tiger
must be brought to bay soon. Several
times I saw his tawny body flash by
openings in the jungle, but there was
no chance to shoot with any certainty.
Corporal Butts, Bugler Paramo, Pn-
waite Richards and myself were sitting
in our saddles about fifty yaEds from
the spot where he appeared. He leaped
out into the open, stood head up and
dashed his tail for one instant. then
four rides cracked as one. He gave one
mighty LEAP into the air, then came
down on all four feet and slowly sank
to the ground. We rode cautiously up
to him. Corporal Butts took deliberate
aim and sent a bullet straight through
his brain. Bugler Paramo sounded the
fall in" and We bore the carcass back
to- camp in triumph.