A Terrible Indian Avenging Force.

Otago Witness, Issue 2664, 5 April 1905, Page 79

A Terrible Indian Avenging Force.

"The tiger stool." the semi-sacred emblem of power and avenging force that stood before the throne of Hyder AH, is a life-size model of a grinning tieer's head, overlaid with plaques of purest gold the tenth of an inch in thickness. Blazing blocks of rock crystal form the long curved teeth, and its eyes are cunningly contrived so as to flash and scintillate as the light falls over them. The effect is difficult for mere words to describe — so savage, vast, and mysterious is that grim, great head. The Sanscrit-lettered cipher. "The Tiger of God is Conqueror," is twisted over the beast's countenance, and forms the semblance of its features. Very ghastly work has been done before that tiger stool,' for Hyder Ali and his sin, Tippoo Sultan, were tyrants of the old tremendous style, and thought little of sentencing those who had eaten of their bread and drunk of their cup to sudden and violent death, or to torture wore© than death. Even "the Iron Duke." the man who was supposed to wear steel instead of ficsh, and to possess a mechanical pumping apparatus instead of a heart — even he used to shudder when his eye fell on that tiger stool. It is kept at Windsor, along with other Indian trophies.