TRAPPIED A TIGER.

Pelorus Guardian and Miners' Advocate., Volume 23, Issue 8, 30 January 1912, Page 2

TRAPPIED A TIGER.

I The interest of a community in the Malay • Peulusuia was lately excited by the announcement that a line tiger had hem captured in a pit situated in a Chinaman's garden. The pit in which the tiger was caught was circular, Hit. deep, and 3ft. 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 strain..ling out. The situation was on the margin of a jungle forest, and i.hc 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 (he owner of the pit into which the tiger had fallen was aware of his pri'.e, he covered the month 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 at 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, his captor feeding him very sparingly,, in order to reduce his energy. : The operation of caging the beast ’ 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 bean} at a height of about j 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 j 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 closed, with the exception’ of a' hole about 3in, in diameter, the use of which will presently appear. The shialler , 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. iff"diameter, were prepared with running nooses. As soon as a few long poles had been cut and prepared, with forks on some of them and pieces of wood lashed on others to form hooks, the Malays were ready to take care of the tiger. The planks covering the mouth of the* pit were slightly separated to j admit of the ropes and fmles being ! passed down. The noose of one of i j the ropes was lowered upon the , tiger’s head, an intrusion which he j resented violently ; but by skill and! patience 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 noqse 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 £ope 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,! leaving nothing but the tiger’s tail j protruding. When all was fast, The j nooses round his throat were slacken- j ed in odder that the beast might j breathe more freely. The basket was | now slung 0 n a. pole and borne to j where a cage was in readiness to re-| ceive its occupant.—“ Spare Moments. 1