Year: 1861

Tiger CHASE BY BABooNs.-The following account
OF tiger chase is extracted from the North Lin
coin Sph'nr, regimental paper, published at Gra-
hams Town. The writer, after alludins to his
sporting experiences of all kinds and in all quarters
of the globe, declares that he never witnessed so
novel or intensely exciting chase as that about to
be described. Not long ago [ spent few davs at
Fort Brown, small military post on the banks of
the Great Fish River, where my friend W. was
stationed. One evening, as my friend and | were
returning home, after somewhat fatiguing DAYS
buck-shocting, we were startled by hearing the
most extraordinary noises not far from us. 1t
seemed as If all the demons in the internal regions
had been unclaimed, and were amusing themselves
by trying to frghten US poor mortals by their
horrid yelling. We stood in breathless expecta-
ton, not knowing what could possibly be the cause
OF TINS dlaboIeal row, with all sorts of strange
conjectures flashing across our minds. Nearer and
nearer the yelling and screaming approached, and
presently the cause became visible to astonished
eyes. Some three or four hundred yards to our
right, upon the brow of hill, a spotted leopard
commonly called in this country tiger, though
much smaller than the lord of the Indian iungles)
came in view, bounding along, with all the speed
and energy OF despair, while close behind him fol-
lowed an enormous pack of balloons, from whose
throats proceeded the demoniacal sounds that had.
a few seconds before, startled us.


Our excitement in the chase, as you may suppose,
was intense. On went the tiger, making for the
river, the balloons following like avenging demons.
and evidently gaining ground upon their nearly





each moment to increase his terror and his speed
They reach the stream, the tiger still few yards
in advance; and, with tremendous bound, he cast
himself into its muddy waters and made for the
opposite bank. The next moment his pursuers, in
admirable confusion, were struggling after him,
and as the tiger (now fearfully exhausted) clam
bered on the land again, the largest and strongest
OF the balloons were close at his heels, though
many of the pack (the old, the very young, and
the weakly were struggling in the water. In a
few moments all had passed from our sight, behind
the brow of the opposite bank; but their increased
yelling now stationary behind the hill, told us that
the tiger had met his doom, and that their strong
arms and claws were now tearing him limb from
limb. AS the evening was far advanced, and we
were still some miles from home, we did not cross
the river to be in at the death; but, next morning.
few bones and scattered fragments of flesh and
skin showed what had been the tigers fate. On
our return home we were told by some Dutch gen.
tlemen that such hunts not uncommon when a
tiger is rash enough to attack the young baboons,
which often happens. All these creatures for miles
around assemble and pursue their enemy with re-
Ientess fury to his death. Sometimes the chase
lasts for days, but it invariably closes with the
destruction of the tiger-a striking instance that
the idea of retributive Justice is not confined to
alone.