THE STORY OF A TIGER.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1648, 30 September 1903, Page 17

THE STORY OF A TIGER.

The news of a tiger at Etawah,, India, ancl in the mkkilo of July, seems more likie* an extract from the chronicles of 1803 than a possibility- of these days of ever scar celling shikar. The groves of St. John’s \\ ood would have seemed as likely to harbour a Royal Bengal as those bare Jumna-side ravines. with their sparse jungle of babul and bushes. Nevertheless (says the “Pioneer”) a tiger was bagged there a few days ago within a couple of miles of tho btation in circumstances just as sporting as if the encounter had-taken plat's in the heart of the Terai. It appears that for some time back a part of the ravine land has been taken up as a reserve by a Cawnpore firm for growing babul trees for tanning purposes. Now a tiger from the other side of the river had observed the peace and quietude that had come to reign over tilts spot, and overlooking its deficiencies as jungle for tho sake of these advantages, determined to settle there. He came across accordingly some time last year, tried tno place, and liked it so much that he determined to go back to his old country, and see if he could persuade a handsome young tigress whom hie knew to share his retreat, bin was successful in his suit, ancl just when the story of a tiger ever having been in the locality vras beginning to be dis- ' missed as a myth, the people of tiro neighbourhood discovered that they were entertaining two. A few months passed by, and the appearance of certain small tracks on th sand beside the big ones testified to the fact that tho couple had become parents. "With the increase of their family their appetitieu increased amazingly, and the ravages amongst the Etawah cattle became past a joke. However, all attempts to waylay them, wnether by driving or sitting up, had failed up to the- end of the week, when news was -brought to Mr Mardon, tin? collector, that they had been marked down in a particular quarter of the reserve. Air Mardon went- to the spot with a friend, oncl finding on following the tracks some way that they diverged, proposed that they should each follow one trail. He himself had not gone far when he was charged by the tigress, but having a bush between did not shoot. The tigress, however, was •uotermiued on fighting, and came at him again from another direction, when he turned her with a shot in the shoulder. Nevertheless she went off strong, and iv±r Alardon after a time gave up the chase, but handing his rifle to his shikari told him to follow the tracks. Lnfortunately as generally happens a number of unauthorised lookers on joined in. They found the tigress eventually, apparently lying dead, and one of these men foolishly approached her, tapping tho ground with his stick. The tigress could not stand this and jumped up seized the man by the thigh and would have carried him off, but she was too far gone, and as she dropped him again a shot from the shikari finished her. Whether her family will now quit the place, or whether we shall have to chronicle “more tiger shooting at Etawah,” remains to be seen.