DESPERATE ENCOUNTER WITH A TIGER.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 222, 1 October 1887, Page 7

DESPERATE ENCOUNTER WITH A TIGER.

The following graphic account has been given of the plucky manner in which a Major Lyons killed a man-eater in its den a few days ago :— Major Lyons, accompanied by a friend and one or two natives, reached the entrance of the cave late in the ovening 1 , and no doubt with much interest waited the turn of events. A hushed silence prevailed, and it was thought the tiger had gone out for his evening meal. He might be in some dark corner, and it was necessary to force him out, &o volleys of stones were flung inside, and he was shouted at, but no response. Then torches were lit, and as the glare flickered over the place, his highness, who had probably been having a nap, advanced towards the entiance. Major Lyons's gun was at his shoulder, and both ' barrels were fired into the tiger, who instantly dashed afc his assailant in grand style, the latter standing face to fyce with the wounded tiger, determined to ligh< it out to the kiflD gasp. At this critical moment when the tiger pounced on him he was somehow left alone to tackle the brute. He struck the tiger twice with the butt end of his gun with little efi'ect. All ab once mattcis changed, and the tiger, showing symptoms of distress, took to his heels, which clearly indicated that he had been hard hit while he was coming out of the cave. Major Lyons, having re-loaded his gun, now went in pursuit of the wounded tiger, and found him under a bush sitting on his haunches, with his tongue out, and looking very .sick. He was not quite exhausted, however, for he jumped up and charged dou n at the sportsman, roaring loudly. Another and a severer encounter now took place, in the course of which the tiger fixed one of his paws on the calf of Major Lyons's leg, lacerating it mo&t dreadfully, while the latter thrust the muzzle of his ride down the tin oat of tho animal, who, with the weapon in his mouth, slunk away into the adjacent bushes. And this was the end of as> strange an adventure a& will be found in the annals of tiger - hunting. Major Lj'ons's tiger Mas found next morning dead a few yards from the spot where the last combat took place. Eighteen men brought it to Khancaln, and numbers of people went to fee it. It was a large tiger, mea&uiing nine feet two inches in length, and three feet five inches round its body.