PANTHER FIGHTS SOLDIERS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13430, 11 July 1914, Page 9

PANTHER FIGHTS SOLDIERS.

FIERCE BATTLE IN INDIA

LONDON, May 25. A stirring story of a -hunting adventure of a company of the 92nd Punjabis m -Eastern Bengal is reported by the Calcutta Englishman. Mr Ross, a aub-divisional officer, enlisted the aid of the subahdar (chief native officer) of the company in-round-ing up a man-eating tiger. With a section of 25 men armed with rifles, bayonets, and ball cartridges, they were guided by a villager to tho spot where the tiger was thought to be. Mr Ross declined to take charge of the operations, saying he wanted the first shot. He therefore took up his position m front 1 of the men, with a scout to tho right and tKe left. The men were drawn up as if nn attack on an enemy's stockade were premeditated. The order was given to load the rifles and to fix bayonets, and the party advanced. Scarcely had they started when an animal broke from cover, and with great leaps and bounds charged straight at Mr Ross, who dropped on one knee and fired. Still the animal came on. One of the two scouts, Havildar Mahommed Azim, jumped m front of the. officer and took the charge of his bayonet, firing at the same time. He saved Mr Ross, but was knocked down by the animal, which fell upon him. , The second scout, Lance-Naik Sakhawat Khan, rushed to his comrade's aid, The animal charged him, too. He also received the charge on his bayonet and pulled the trigger at the same time. But lje was knocked down and his leg was savagely bitten. Then the subahdar, forgetting that he! was m charge of the operations, rushed into the fray with a sporting gun, followed by his men with bayonets levelled. Mr Ross, too, dashed into the "scrum." There were shots, bayonet thrusts, and shouts. Two more men were knocked down by the animal and mauled. Others were knocked down, but got up unhurt. Finally the sepoys killed the animal. Tn its body were seven bullet* and 11 bayonet wounds.