TIGER IN A BALLOON.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 24 January 1914, Page 9

TIGER IN A BALLOON.

Russian, papers from the Far Easts report (says the Daily Citizen) a thrilling adventure of American balloonista with a tiger. Accompanied by his fiancee, Mr Fobster, an American airman, well known in Siberia, about a fortnight . ago made sin ascent from Yladiyostock with the intention of reaching Khabarovsk, a town on the Amur. The balloon was'a small one, unequipped -with, a ripping valve for easy descents. The weather, however,, proved unfavorable,'and the airman resolved to land. He accomplished the descent, and, as the balloon neared the ground, jumped out, holding the trail rope, intending to drag the balloon down to earth and assist the girl to descend. As soon as he had jumped, however, he noticed a Siberian tiger* which jumped over the American, who had thrown himself on the ground, sprang at the car, and.remained hanging while the balloon reascended. Mr Fobster had no weapon with Thim, but a big knife, and it was out of the question to urge the girl to jump out, since* she would have been killed on the spot. Shouting to the girl to keep quiet, ' he grasped the end of the guide-rope, and ran to the river, 200 or 300 yards away. Meanwhile the tiger was making desperate efforts to climb into the car, and the airman, reaching the river, which happily was at that point not very deep, jumped in, and then shouted to his fiancee to jump dawn. The* girl hesitated, but at that very moment the tiger, struggling for life, made a last desperate effort, and climbed into> the car. Then the girl took the leap. Mr Fobster then let" the guide-rope« go and swam to the rescue of his companion. At the same time the bal(loon, lightened of the weight of the game, rose quickly up with the amazed 1 tiger in it. The couple were rescued by peasants.