Remarkable Experience of an Indian Hunter. A FLAYFUL TIGER.

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

Remarkable Experience of an Indian Hunter.

A FLAYFUL TIGER.

I was in charge of a party making a survey for a railroad line between Nagpoor and Hyderabad, India, said Major White, and as there was no hurry about the work our party was as much a hunting as a surveying party. We numbered about thirty-eight people, ten of whom weie white men. Owing to the difficulties of the country we had no saddle-horses, bufc took along six or eight pack animals, and each native also had a pack to bear. The very difficulties in the way of building a line made the country a sportsman's paradise Twenty years ago there was more wild and savage game to the acre in that district than elsewhere south of Lucknow, but the march of civilisation has doubtless driven the big game away by this time. We were travelling along the north branch of the Gadavey river — sometimes upon its bank and again a couple of miles from the water, sometimes travelling five or six miles a day, and again halting for a couple of days to fish or shoot when a most singular incident befel mo individually. I had left camp at an early hour in the morning to fiah. While I carried my rifle with me I had no intention of going out of my way to find game. On the previous afternoon I had observed what seemed to be a capital fishing spot in the bend of the river, and it was to this place I hastened as I left camp. Some of the native servants were astir, and saw me out, but I did not want their services. It was a pretty thick jungle between the camp and the bend, but at the bend there was a clear spot an acre in extent, with a heavy forest growth and a ledge of rocks for a background. As I took a look around before sitting down on the bank to my sport, I remarked that it was a good spot for wild beasts, but as there was nothing moAung, I went right to work with my fishing tackle. Catching a frog for bait, I flung in the hook, and it wasn't five minutes before I was meeting with such luck that all thoughts of tigers, snakes and hyenas were driven out of my mind. I had landed half a dozen good-si/ed fish, and was just then playing a larger one, when a slight noise startled me, and I looked round to sec such a sight as lias seldom come to the eyes of a sportsman. A full-grown tiger was within five feet of me, playing with one of the fish. It was the last fish pulled out, and in it° Jying agonies it was jumping about on the grass. Every time it jumped the tiger would reach out a paw in a playful way, and once or twice he struck hard enough to move the fish three or four feoL i tell you I was a badly frightened man, and all I could do

was to sit there with mouth and eyes opened. The tiger had crept down from the bluffs, and wi»y he hadn't attacked me was a mystery. He went from fish to fish, turning them over with his paw, and time and again brushing me with his tail as he moved about. My rifle was ten feet away, leaning against a bush, and I mitrht have been idiot enough to try to reach it but for a warning. My personal servant had, followed mo to see what luck I had. He came into the neighbourhood while the tiger was playing with the fi»h, and softly climbing a tree, he uttered the call of a bird to attract my attention, and then sang out : "Do nothing to provoke the tiger, master. He is a hiloweele, and if you do not cross him he will go away." Ho meant thix'j the &piiit of a good native had been transformed, and it was clearly the common-sense way to follow his advice. As the beast gave me no attention I turned to the fish tugging at my line and landed him. He was ot good size and full of vitality, and the tiger waited in a playful way until I removed the hook and tluew the fish on the grass Then he spiang for it as a kitten would for a ball of yaiii, and he played with it in the same way. It was laughable, in spite of circumstances, to witness his actions. He would run aiound in circles as you have seen a young dog do, sometimes almost leaping over mo, and then again he would become the cat and creep softly forwaid to pounce upon one of the fish. Each one as caught w;>s flung to him, and it was a full half horn before he grew tired of the .sport. I expected he j would turn to me .sooner or later, but the native saw the change of demeanour fiist and called : " Master, the hiloweele is going to play with you. Be as clay in his power."' The tiger suddenly left the la&t fish landed, and came stalking up fco mo. puning like a cat and acting very playful His first move was to woim his head under my left arm, and, I'm 'telling you the solemn truth when I say that 1 smoothed down his fur as if he had been afa\ourite dog. Ihal on a big straw hat, and this ho got hold of in his teeth and played -\\ ith for ton minutes, or until he had torn it all to pieces. I had no more bait to nVh with, and drew in the line, and sat thete waiting for the tiger's next move When he had finished the hat he came over and nibbed against me, and piuied in a pieced way, and I rubbed him Mith my hand fiom nose to tail. I gradually got over m\ scaie, bub was yet very anxious to know how the affair would end. The sun was getting well up and very hot, and the beast would soon be seeking his lair. In about thirty minutes from the time lie appeared the tiger began to show a change ot demeanour, tfc acted nervously and uneasily, and the huu on his back stood up at intervals. I judged that he had got the scent of my tenant, and buch proved to be the case. I dared not ri&e to my feet, but I made up my mind that if the tiger attacked me I should make a spring off the bank into the river. It was infested with crocodiles, but there was not much choice between bci.ig eaten by beast or pauiian. Once the tige"glaied at me and growled, but next moment whined as if afraid, and edged up to me as if for protection. The servant had been keeping a watchful eye on my stiange playmate, and he now believed that the time had come for deeish c action. He, therefore, fired his pistol and bhouted at the top of his voice. The effect was immediate. The beast dropped his tail, uttered a longdrawn whine, and, with a sort of farewell glance at me, he bolted for the forest and disappeared. 1 hud looked him o\ L r pretty well, and had noticed, among other things, that he had a bioken claw on the right paw. We did not break camp that day. Just at sunset, as we sat in groups smoking our pipes, a tiger charged boldly in among the bcnants and attempted to make off. We rallied to prevent, and the beast knocked two other men o\ er before he was despatched. When we came to examine the body I had nob the slightest difficulty in identifying it as that of my playmate of the morning.