A RIDE FOR LIFE.

Colonist, Volume LII, Issue 12771, 18 April 1910, Page 1

A RIDE FOR LIFE.

M. Henri Gilbert when in India arrived at a place caUed Nagpbor, and explored some of the surrounding country in. company with a scientist wbo was engaged in research work there. During the day they came to a small viUage. at which an English party had also arrived, one of the members of which had a bicycle with him. : Gilbert asked permission of the owner to go for an hour's or two's ride, it* being over two years since he had mounted a- machine. This was given, and in spite of the warnings of the scientist, who had heard that there were many tigers in the district. Gilbert, started off. After riding a few .miles 7; he lay down in an open glade to rest/placing his bicycle againfet a bush. Ultimately he fell asleep, from which he was awakened by a curious sound in the bed of •? small- watercourse which was directly in front of him.. The story may be told in Gilbert's own words. "I lifted my head. drowsily," he says, "and looking, towards the spot, my gaze -rested npon the fierce and wicked head and lon£, -lithe, striped body of an immense ther. I should judge that he was about thirty yards from me. "Whether he detected my presence I cannot say, but he remained motionless for some time. It seemed absolutely impossible for me to think of escaping by means of the bicycle, for ifc was at least twenty yards from me ; and how c'Quld Impossibly reach it and make my Way to the high road without attracting the attention of the terrible animal, who in two or three bounds would be upon me ? "Presently I saw him drop his head and begin to lap the water. As he raised his head again I knew that one single false- movement on my- part must inevitably attract his attention. Following every movement of the j huge monster with terrible anxiety, I r was at length relieved to see him apparently about to return into the jungle from whence-he had come, but, alas ! some little bird moved in the bushes around. me. and the effect was instantaneous, The tiger stopped, and suddenly wheeled round like lightning, his great eyes fixed intently upon the very spot where I lay. "He paused- for a moment, and then, to my indescribable horror, commenced to creep slowly in my direction. Presently he got so close that I was only able to distinguish his movements by the crackling of the leaves and twigs as ho crept along. I now felt thafmy.case was quite hopeless. 'Nothing,' I'said to myself, despairingly, 'can save me from a dreadful death.' And yet — so quickly does the brain work in such cases — only a mere fraction of time after these despairing thoughts, I conceived the desperate idea of making a dash for the bicycle! "Leaping to ray feet, I fairly hurled myself in ; the : direction of the bicycle. I threw myself upon it, and with* the impetus so gained, began .to glide swiftly along — even, before my feet touched the pedals-y-litcrally racing the tiger for dear life. The rery instant I got fairly under way I . heafd the -huge, beast make his first leap' in mv direction. The fourth leap of the tiger brought him within about sis yards of my back wheel, and although I was going as fast as a first-class bibyde can travel, a sixth leap almost brought the claws of tho monster within striking distance of my back tyre. But still I-pedaUed away desperately. "Just at this moment I saw in front of me another straight road opening before me. You may judge my -terror, however, when I tell you that as soon as I turned into this new road I beheld, lying right across my path, a huge tree that had fallen through decay. I charged the object headlong, and, just before crashing into it I leapt from the machine and scrambled over recklessly, feeling certain that- the tiger was gaining. It goes without saying that I literally threw myself into the ; saddle again with frantic energy, and pedalled away from tho inexorable monster. I heard the tiger leap over the faUen treeV and, sick at heart, I realised that if the chase lasted much longer I shonld have to give up. "Greatly to my relief, however, a short distance in front on my left .1 saw yet another .road, and a ray of hope came ; to me- as I noticed si steep r descent. This I entered upon like an arrow, and a minute or so later put fifty or sixty between my pursuer and j myself. I was pretty well done for, however — so much -so, that at one time . 1 1 felt I must if all out of the saddle. . ' ! "A little further along I looked round, but the tiger was nowhere to be seen ; he had given up the chase. "Then another- fearful thought struck me. Evidently I had lost my way altogether, and^ I reflected helplessly u'pon-my condition in the event of my' being benighted, situated as I then was, in that tiger-infested wild61*fl€SS "~"~ "But, luckily, T«st when I had almost given up all hope of finding my way, a Hindu woman appeared on the joad before trie, -and, in answer to my enquiries, indicated the right road." .