TRAPPIER A TIGER.

Northland Age, Volume VIII, Issue 25, 9 February 1912, Page 8

TRAPPIER A TIGER .

' The interest of a community >n the Malay Reninsiiia was late|y' excited by the announcement that a fine tiger had been captured in a pit situated in* a Chinaman’s garden. The pit in which the tiger was caught was circular, lift, deep, and 3ff. in diameter,, contracting slightly at the bottom. It was dug in a sandy clay, and as the sides were clean cut the tiger was not able to escape by scrambling out. The situation was on the margin of a jungle forest, and the pit. along with others had been dug for the purpose of capturing wild pigs. These pits were . covered with thin sticks and grass on leaves. As soon as the owner of the pit into which the tiger had fallen was aware of his prize, he covered the pioutti of the pit with strong planks, and at once looked round for a purchaser, who was soon found. The sum of twenty-five pounds was paid for the tiger as it lay pt the bottom of the pit, and it afterwards cost , fifty pounds to have him caged and conveyed to Singapore. For nearly six days the captive lay in the pit, i his captor feeding him very sparing- , ly,, in order to reduce his energy. The operation of caging the beast 1 was entrusted to six Malays, who, as a race, are noted for their know- • ledge of woodcraft and habits of animals. The Malays went to work | very cleverly, and every detail of their plan was ordered admirably, so that no accident could occur. I The first 'step was to rig up a I strong beam at a height of about I nine feet over the pit, and this was supported on well-secured uprights,, to which it was securely lashed with withes. Next, there were prepared two cylindrical baskets made of green rattan. One of these baskets measured 2ft. in diameter, and Bft. in length. The other was made just I large enough to be passed into the i larger one, for the purpose of giv- ! ing additional strength to the contrivance. One end of each basket was left open, while the other was dosed, with the exception of a hole about 3in. in diameter, the use of which i will presently appear. The smaller basket having been jammed into the larger one, the walls of both were firmly laced together throughout with withes to obviate any chance of slipping. Finally, *two ropes,, about fin. in diameter, were prepared with running nooses. As soon as a few long poles had been cut and prepared, with forks on some of them a nd pieces of wood lashed on others to form hooks, the Malays were ready I to take care of the tiger. The planks covering the mouth of 1 j the pit were slightly separated to | admit of the ropes and poles being ; | passed down. The noose of one of | the ropes was lowered upon the tiger’s head, an intrusion which he j resented violently ; but by skill and i patience the Malays managed to get : the noose over the tiger’s head and around his neck. This was effected by manoeuvring his paws and mouth with the poles. As soon as the noose was in position it was drawn tight enough to prevent its removal by the

prisoner. The other rope was then passed down and secured in a similar manner. The operation of placing the two nooses around the neck of the beast occupied twenty-three minutes.The ends of the, rope were then passed through the cylindrical double basket. The basket was placed mouth downwards over the pit, and when all was secure and ready, the word was given to haul up, and the tiger was drawn up head foremost into the basket, which was only large enough to receive him, and thus he was unable to struggle with effectiveness. As soon as he was well into the basket the whole was drawn up and \ laid on its side, when the mouth of the basket was at once laced up, 1 leaving nothing but the tiger’s tail , protruding. When all was fast, the | nooses round his throat were slackenied in cfdder that the beast might j breathe more freely. The basket was now slung on a pole and borne to | where a cage was in readiness to receive its occupant.—" Spare Moments.