A Scion of the Kumpani Bahadur

Hastings Standard, Issue 234, 30 January 1897, Page 4

A Scion of the Kumpani Bahadur

A TALK OF INDIAN SPORT

[SI'ECIAI.LY WRITTKN roll THE HaSTim.s Stanpar:i>.j

BY F. T)'A. C'. DE LISLE. 'AH ri'/hts I'-sri'it'il l>i/ thr author./

Chapter IV.—An Episode After TIGEH."

The next morning Jones was roused by a gentle touch on his shoulder and be seemed to hear a subdued voice saying far away.

" Sahih, Sahib, sarch r/o hiuhjr]t tjtta Sahih" (Sir, sir, it's past half past two sir.")

" Eh ! What ! Hullo ! Where is it f Eh ! Where ? " cried Jones sitting up in bed and rubbing his eyes. He had been dreaming that he and Mrs Bruce were trapped by tigers in the jungle. " Oh it's you I'ani hi/a '?" (Have you brought the water.) " Ha, Sahih hi/a !" (Yes sir.) Jones dashed the mosquito curtains up and sprang from his bed into the bathroom where his bearer proceeded to pour bucketsful of water over him. He then dressed in a shikari costume of khaki with cartridge pockets let in from shoulder to .shoulder. These he filled with cartridges ; he strapped a big Colt's revolver loaded in every chamber, around his waist; and placing a huge solar topee on his head, he sallied out with the rifle in one hand and a mixed lot of " Asians " and " Pioneers " in the other just as Prinsep drove up a tandem of Polo ponies in his tiim-tHHi. "Hullo! there, all aboard there!" shouted the driver. " Eight you are," said Jones as he scrambled in. "Got your glasses?" asked Prinsep. " Remember we are shooting from machan.s- and you will require glasses to watch his Nibs." The glasses were brought out by the bearer and away they went. As they turned into the Grand Trunk Road a big dogcart appeared in which were seated Lieut-Colonel Lord Bertrand and Captain Polhill-Carew. A twenty mile drive found them at Rajgunge at five o'clock ; and mounting the Nawab's elephants they went on to Bundy where they arrived at half-past seven. They were met upon their arrival by the Prime Minister at the Court of l imur who had come over from Ulmur as the royal representative. The Nawab had gone hunting some thirty miles South of Bundy, he said, but the iiierhtitts were fixed and ready for the officer sahibs in the mangoe topes. Asking him to thank the Nawab cordially for his hospitality, the Englishmen rode 011 some four miles to the Mangoe topes, and proceeded to occupy the two machans prepared for them. Carr-.Jones and Lieutenant Prinsep occupied the first machan, a large bamboo platform erected firmly in the forks of three huge trees growing close together, at about fifty feet from the ground. Lord Bertrand and Captain PolhillCarew climbed into the second machan, some two hundred yards away. The platforms were large and roomy, and capable of holding nearly a dozen people. On each of them was placed two or three easy-chairs, and a table. To unpack the drinkables and eatables was the first work, which being performed, the hock, whisky, and seltzer were placed on the table, and the hunttj' (ice) in its blanket under the table. Then Jones and his friend stretched themselves out luxuriously in the easy-chairs, and lighting their cheroots, proceeded to read the latest weeklies, while the shikar, or huntsman, kindly lent them by the Nawab, kept watch. Machan hunting is slow and unprofitable, though not free from danger as most people might imagine. Tigers have been known to spring into adjacent trees, and leaping down 011 the platform to have dragged their victims to the ground with them. But the odds are greatlv in favour of the gun since the time taken, and the opportunities for shooting are greater. The process of machan shooting is simplicity itself. The machan* are always built in trees enclosing some open space frequented by Tigers. In this open space this kid of a goat is tied 011 a running string to a peg fastened in the ground in the centre of the space enclosed. When the kid gets tired of imprisonment, and especially towards evening, it commences to bleat for it's mother, and bleats 011 unceasingly. The cry attracts the tiger, which not mi frequently roars from a great distance of. He is spotted by the shikar, and bowled over sometimes before entering the ring. At other times he is allowed to spring and kill the kid, after which he is dispatched while lapping up the warm blood of the decoy. The arrangements for the day were that Jones, being the novice, should have the lirst shot, then Carew, then Prinsep, and then Lord Bertrand, who was an old .shikar. Should any man kill one, he stood out at the next. They took to the machanx about 8 o'clock, and Jones began to air his dudious I limit on the Nawab's unfortunate -iui.ar at once. By dint of questioning and much prompting from Prinsep, who swore volubly at being so frequently interrupted, Jones learnt from the native that Vlmur, the Nawab's capital, was about thirty miles from Bundy. That tigers abounded in the Nawab's dominions, and that only the uight before a native woman had been carried off by a maneater, and the Nawab had gone off to per a shot at him. Yes, he thought they would get plenty of sport; there were a great many lairs for tigers round the lake. About 9 o'clock the kid commenced bleating, and within twenty minutes th. r,' came a roar from right forward of where the first »<•(• h.m was. The *hikar strained hiji eyes in that 'Old £*st India Company.

direction, and the two subalterns seized their rifles.

" I'lhcr, sahib vtJnrsaid the shikar, pointing through a jungle to about eighty yards away, and both the sportsmen saw a long streak of yellow bounding along towards them, springing through the long grass as lightly as a cat. " Give it him as he springs, Jones," said Prinsep. " Right," said Jones, and his rifle went to his shoulder. With a blood-curdling roar the tiger crouched six or eight yards away from the kid for a spring, and " bang" went Jones's rifle. It was a fair hit on the hip, for the tiger sprang in the air with an angry scream and limped painfully towards the machan snarling like a wild dog. The next moment Carew's rifle rang out, and once more the tiger was hit, this time in the ribs. Its roaring was something terrible. " My turn," said Prinsep, coolly. " An even thousand I turn him over." " No wager," cried Jones. The third shot hit the tiger fairly on the skull between the eyes and with a convulsive spring in the air he fell dead. The shikars shinned down the ladder and within ten minutes a full grown tiger was hanging by his legs to one of the most topmost branches of a tall /icfinl tree. " It would not do to leave him there," said Prinsep, " we should never get another shot. They can scent death hundreds of yards away. A moment after Lord Bertrand appeared at the foot of their machan into which he climbed. " I say Jones let me take first pot in future you can have next, it will give you a better chance of getting a skin. There will only be three of us for the next as Prinsep stands out." " All right," answered Jones. " Isn't it rather rash of you to be stalking about on foot sir ? Oh ! I'm safe enough • There are no other tigers about just now. By-and-by we will get more sport." And Lord Bestrand returned to his machan. About twelve o'clock roars were heard all round the enclosure and it was ascertained that throe tigers were approaching. The shikars could tell that by the different roars. " By Jove ! I may get another shot at once." cried Prinsep as he grabbed his rifle. A roar which shook the machans followed by a second close to their left between the two groups of sportsmen showed them where a huge tigress was already crouching for her spring. A yard or two behind her was a well-grown cub, waving his tail contentedly in anticipation of a good feed. To the far right another loud roar told of the approach of a third tiger which'their shikars told them was the father of the cub. " Great heavens! why doesn't Bertrand shoot ? " whispered Jones excitedly. " Would ruin all," said his companion. " Watch the cub for as soon as the tiger appears Bertrand will kill the tigress. He never misses. I'll leave the cub to you, and wait for a chance at the tiger in case Carew misses." Just then the tiger leaped into the enclosure abont a hundred yards away to the right lashing his sides with his powerful tail. " Bang," went Lord Bertrand's rifle just as the tigeress sprang ; he hit her under the forearm while in mid-air and she dropped inside the ring stone dead, shot through-heart and lungs. Jones fired at the cub and dropped him, just as Carew hit the old tiger very hard. But the cub jumped up and was crawling away as the tiger made a bound at the machiu. Quick as thought Prinsep had turned to fire at the cub as he heard Jones' execration followed by a disgusted " Missed again !" He bowled the cub over beautifully just as the old tiger sprang at the machan and he turned hastly round to see its foam splashed jaws snarling and snapping at Jones who was calmly pulling out his revolver. There was nothing to do but remain still. Any order yelled at Jones might upset him, so Lieutenant Prinsep proceeded hurriedly to get his revolver as Jones deliberately took aim and sent a

bullet crashing into the tiger's chest. "Let him have another!" saidPrinsep by his side, and once again Jones fired, this time with more effect as the bullet penetrated the brain of the animal and the tiger fell dead. " Very cleverly and coolly done, old man," said Lieutenant Prinsep. " I got your cub, but you have scored over Carew. Wonc he be mad ! He's had deuced hard luck though. The eighth of an inch further and instead of breaking the tiger's elbow, his shot would have penetrated its heart." " Well, you're in luck, Prinsep," cried Lord Bertrand, as he and Captain Carew climbed into their machan, while the shikars were hauling the dead tigers high up into the trees. " Two skins to our one —eh ? By Jove ! Jones, you behaved with the greatest coolness. You will make a great shikar."

The huge carcases were cleverly skinned by the Nawab's men, the dead bodies were buried in as many large holes which had been prepared beforehand, and everybody turned to the table for an impromptu tiffin. The kid, which had never ceased bleating until the tigress fell dead at its side, now remained mnte, paralysed by the fright it had got. So a new kid was procured from Bundy and exchanged for the old one, and it began to browse about the enclosure oblivious to all danger.

But about four in the afternoon it began to bleat, and kept on bleating louder and louder. Half an hour passed, then an hour, and then the jungle resounded to one terrific roar. " Bertrand's shot first," said Prinsep, as the roaring came nearer and nearer. The shikars strained their eyes for a sight of the tiger, but it was approaching in the thick jungle to the left, and only the waving of the long grass showed where it came. At length, with a fearful roar, a hugh tiger flashed through the sunlight and landed in the enclosure about six feet out of the jungle. He was a magnificent beast, the largest by far of any that had been shot by the party that day. A moment's suspense, then Lord Bertrand's rifle spoke, and the huge beast sank writhing in death. " Now, if Carew can score next time we shall have done splendidly," said Prinsep. " We'll be going by 6. It gets too dark to be safe after that. Hullo ! that's a mad thing for Bertrand to do." Lord Bertrand had left his machan and was coolly walking up the enclosure to where the dying tiger lay. None of the shikars had ventured out, for tigers are tenacious, and die hard. But the Lieut.-Colonel of the 28th stood over the still-breathing beast and proceeded to pass a small tape measure over it. " Good job he's dead," said Prinsep, as the tiger did not move. " He's a monster, without doubt. Let's go and have a look at him." And both he and Jones descended from their machan with the shikar. They had scarcely walked thirty yards when a hideous'roar transfixed them to the ground. Before they could move or cry out, a second tiger sprang from the very same jungle that the first one had come out of. With a thirty foot spring the brute landed right on Lord Bertrand and both man and tiger went plunging to the ground. " Oh ! Good God ! poor Bertrand," cried Jones drawing his revolver and running towards the tiger. " Here, halt," shouted Prinsep. " He'll carry him into the jungle if you give chase, Ah ! there he goes ! Now Carew for your life !" The tiger had picked up his victim and was backing or rather sidling from his pursuers towards the jungle. Prinsep could not fire, being unarmed, Carr-Jones had only his revolver. He was taking aim when his companion stayed his hand. " Leave it to Carew " said Prinsep pointing to the other ".machan. Jones turned to look. Captain Carew standing with his rifle to his shoulder, absolutely motionless. He might have been carved out of bronze, so rigid was he. For nearly a minute he stood thus, and Jones trembled as he recalled the Guide's

Ball, and what he had heard that night. There betwoen happiness and himself lay the rpan who stood between them. How easy for Carew to miss, and be rid of him for ever! " Will he miss, or is he trying to kill ? " thought Jones. The prolonged aim became almost maddening. At last a flash, followed by the report of the rifle, and the tiger fell in his tracks on top of the Lieu-tenant-Colonel, who was deluged in its blood. The aim had been perfect, as half the tiger's skull was blown out. " Thank God ! " said Prinsep in a low voice, and both the juniors dashed on to where the Lieutenant-Colonel lay. He had crawled out from under the tiger, and was sitting up when they reached him. " All right lads ! " he cried with a white face; " thanks to Carew. My only fear was that he might miss. Hurt ? I should rather think so. I fancy all my ribs are smashed, where he struck me on the right side, and the brute has clawed me behind my left shoulder fearfully." A rude stretcher was quickly made out of some bamboo poles and a rug, and Lord Bertrand was hurried off to Rajgonge attended by Lieutenant Prinsep and the two shikars. Captain Polhill-Carew had appeared upon the scene with an ashen face, trembling as if in an ague. There was a look of horror in his eyes, and his lips quivered painfully as he attempted to speak calmly. He gave his hand to Lord Bertrand with apathy, turning away at once to give orders to break up the camp. Watching him carefully Carr-Jones read in his eyes the horror which had met him as the thought of freedom and happiness with her had burst upon him.

" You have had an awful two minutes," thought Jones, " but man's nobility gained the day. You will never have cause to call yourself homicide ; «which you might have been had you to the voice of temptation, and missed that shot !" And in silence he rode back to Bundy and Rajgunge, and from thence to Pindi, with Captain Polhill-Carew. Lord Bertrand had already reached Pindi, having been brought in by Lieutenant Prinsep in the dogcart, and was being attended to in the Sanatorium when the other sportsmen arrived about midnight. After seeing the surgeon, who said there was little or no danger, Lieutenant Carr-Jones walked out of the Sanatorium to his quarters. On the verandah stood Lady Bertrand and Captain Polhill-Carew. " And you saved his life, Arthur!" Jones heard her say, " that was noble of you indeed I" The " sub " saw her white face upraised ; he caught the flash of a tear on her cheek in the bright moonlight; and with a right-about-turn he marched away from them thinking of what Polhill-Carew had once said to him, " some queer things happen in India! My lad, and Indian soviet!/ is like a worm in the heart of a beautiful jloirer! " [End of Chapter IV.]