Year: 1864

NARRATIVE OF BRITISH Ex-oFFICER.


Having obtained leave Of absence
from my regiment for limited time,
L made the necessary preparations for
hunt of some kind, and went back
to the country, where after holding a
consultation with some of the natives,
desired to try my hand and nerve,
my skill and courage, upon that most
terrific and dreaded of all beasts, the
royal tiger.


Now there are many modes of
hunting and killing the tiger--but
that which L adopted seems to possess
the least danger and the greatest
charm of romance. 1t was as follows:


Near n well-known spring. in one
of the densest and darkest jungles of
that region, little hut was built of
light materials and so covered over
with bushes and trailing vines as TO
be concealed from any eye save that
of an experienced hunter. 1t had a
door just large enough to let me crawl
into it, and window less than foot
square, looking out upon the spring
and the little open space around it,
Near this spring, and within eight or
ten PAGES of the window, a small COW,
deprived of her calf, was firmly Sc
cured to the stump of tree, which
had been cut down for the purpose
This COW was the bait to lure the hun
CRY, blood thirsty tiger to my covert,
within clear range Of my death deal
ing double-barreled rifles; and then,
aided by the light of full moon, my
skill and nerve would settle tho ques-
ton whether the beast should fall n
victim TO one of tho lords Of creation,
or depart in triumph with one of the
lords of the jungle.


The sun was fardeclined toward the
western hills, behind which he would
soon pass to plunge the scene in sud-
den darkness, when, accompanied by
several of the natives, / appeared on
the ground, to take my chances for
the night. Having secured the COW
to the stump, and seen me safe within
my little watch-house, well armed and
provisioned, the question was asked if
anything further could be done for the
master.


Nothing further tonight, l be-
lieve," i replied, but come back in the
morning as early as you please"


AT this they oil gradually withdrew,
their steps sounding fainter and faint
er, till they died out in the distance,
and L was left alone in my glory. i
glanced around my little house, hardly
high enough for me TO stand upright
in-hardly long enough for me to lay
out straight in--and then L looked
out upon the clear spring and the dark,
green, sun-hecked jungle, feeling all
the pootical romance of the scene and
the hour. was happy-delightfully,
poetically happy-and for once in my
life L was ready to admit that reality
could equal anticipation-aso something
never before demonstrated in my ex-
perience. Yes, there / was, safe in
my little hiding place-alon with wild
nature, in tho heart of great, dread
ed. awful Indian jungle-calmly wait
ing for the deep and solemn solitude
of night, and the stealthy approach of
the most savage beast man has to en-
counter. AS when we sit calmly and
pleasantly before cheerful fro, in a
snug little apartment, and hear the
wild, freezing storm rage and howl
aroud us, while we wonder who may
be exposed to its fury, and congratu-
late ourselves that we are not--so did
/ sit before my little window, fairly
hugging myself at the thought that
danger might be for every living
thing far abroad, but that armed,
screened and guarded L had little dan
ger to fear.


Not SO with tho poor beast which
had been chained near me for tempt
alton 10 a forest monster, and which
might fall a bloody sacrifice to the
hunters ambition She seemed to
feel and know her danger, and in my
heart / pitied her For few minutes
she struggled fearfully against her
bonds--jumping and plunging, stamp
ing and paving, tossing her head and
tail, glaring and staring at the sur
rounding thickct, painting and moan
ing, and fullVf fear and distress but
at last, as if in despair, she lowed
mournfully few times, then lay down
and became quiet.


The solitude of my retreat was now
becoming solemnly impressive. Tho
hum of the insects was dying out with
the day, the sun was beginning to die
behind the western hills, casting q
pale, sickly light along tho upper
branches of the trees, and deepening
the shadows below the twitter of the
few birds that yet flew and fluttered
among the leaves, seemed TO me the
warning notes of preparation for the
approaching Of darkness the very
air had settled to rcposc that would
not have stirred the flame Of a candle I;
there was singular sense Of the pull
sation and breathing of nature her.
sell, which all dwellers in the solitude
have so often felt and hoard.


Paler and more yellow and ghastly
now became the bght Of the dying