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YOL. 11.
MISCEIiIiA^TEOUS.
TREED BY A TIGER.
In the year 1857, after an enforced
idleness of some months, the result of a
severe attack of typhoid fever, I was a
greeably surprised at the receipt of a
letter from a relative in the timber
trade, which requested me to undertake
the duties of agent for the purchase of
teak in Burmali. Foreign travel, and
more, the excitement of killing large
game, had always been my ambition,so
i lost no time in making preparations
for leaving England. My' station was to
be Moulmein, in Tenasserim, then un
der the control of Major Fvtehe as Chief
Commissioner. I soon found that my
agency was no easy task, as the trading
ability of the native merchants was of
higher order than my own and that 1
had much to learn before 1 could say 1
understood the business. However, by
the help of a friendly American, who
was established there in another line of
business, I found, after a time, that 1
had sufficient leisure for the exercise of
my proclivities for sport, and at a day’s
distance I could get a shot or two at
deer—my business not thereby neglect
ed. My American friend, who was a
capital shot, proposed a longer excur
sion up the course of the Saliveen river
and with a couple of servants, we start
ed on Pegu ponies, provisioned for a
week. At the end of the second day’s
journey my companion became ill with
fever; and at his earnest entreaty I left
him behind with one servant,determin
ed to go on for another day into a region
where deer were said to be found in a
bundance. To my annoyance I discov
ered when I halted for the night, that
my servant had left behind my friend’s
rifle and only brought on my own
smooth-bore. It was a single-barrel of
large caliber with which I had won
many a pigeon match in England. True
I had my friend’s bnlletmold in my bag
but it was too small for the bore of my
fowling-piece, and 1 was compelled to
content myself with the expectation of
such chances as swan-shot would afford
me. Shortly after noon the next day,
as we were cooking dinner, a native in
formed my servant that a deer’had been
killed during the night by a tiger a
few miles off, and, having been dis
turbed, it was certain he would return
at nightfall to the carcass. There was
no time for much deliberation. With
some compunction I sacrificed a pewter
goblet that, years before, in my school
days I had won in a sculling match at
Henly. With this I casta dozen bullets
and fitted them to my smooth-bore by
stitching up each in well oiled frag
ments of one of my gloves. I started,
with the native as a guide, just before
sundown I was comtortably seated on
the broken branch of a tree at about
thirty feet from the ground, with two
small boughs conveniently placed as
rests for my feet. It was a splendid posi
tiogand perfectly safe. I had the ciir
the
,v distant, MELT,
Marietta, -f cbod\ it> ,479. i y
b* .
The Field and Fireside.
MARIETTA, GEORGIA, THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1879.
set astride, formed a good rest for my
fowling-piece. My guide left me and
returned to my camping-place. When
the sun set, it became too dark to dis
tinguish the bait: but I heard unmis
takable sounds of the tiger’s presence.
Those who only know the deep silence
of a forest in England would be amaz
ed at the night-sounds to be heard in a
tropical, jungle. Low moans, as of a
human being in intense pain, seemed
to float in the air, and several times a
weird unearthly shriek made my flesh
creep. The noise of the water-fowl on
the river, only about sixty yards in
front of me, was unceasing. After some
weary waiting, tlie moon rose, and I
began to calculate my chances for a pot
shot. Presently 1 saw, or thought I saw
the beast’s head; and judging, as well
as the imperfect light would permit the
position of his shoulders, I tired. A fear
till growl, and a rush into the jungle,
told me that my shot had not been a
deadly one. In a few minutes the tiger
returned to his meal, and I saw him
from time to time turn round and
lick his side. He was evidently wound
ed. Before I had time to observe this
I prepared to reload, and found, to my
intense mortification, that I had either
dropped my bag of bullets or had left
them in the hands of my guide, who had
held my gun while 1 climbed the tree
by the aid of a gigantic creeper. I had
now nothing to do but‘wait till day
light, when all felida; retire into the
thick jungle. The night became cloudy
and I had only to wait patiently. As
daylight slowly came, a thick white
mist in snow-white clouds covered the
ground, with only occasional openings
that gave me a passing glimpse of the
tiger. To my horror lie did not retire,
but lay still and watched me. I was de
fenseless, and he appeared to under
stand and appreciate my helpless con
dition. I dreaded the return of my ser
vant and the guide to certain destruc
tion. I racked my brain to remember
such words of Burmese as would enable
me to shout a warning, but in Vain. I
searched my pockets and made a mental
inventory of my store of missiles. A
couple of swan-shot in the corner of my
pocket, a heavy gold curb chain, an old
steel swivel seal, and a large steel pen
cil case, comprised the whole. I loaded
with the chain and the two swan-shot
first, and fired steadily at the left side
of his head, which was exposed to me
for a moment between the clouds of
white mist. His growls were terrific,
yet he stirred not: and nearly an hour
before I could gel a shot at him with
the steel pencil case and seal. By this
time, however, the mist had so far clear
ed off that I had a fair and steady shot
behind his left shoulder, It was a fatal
one, for in two minutes his death strug
gles were over. The pencil case had
penetrated hearts an3 time
my servant arrived with my
pony, I half-skinned him. The
chain had fbaVTiEHKLXuutilatedhis head
and destroyed tf@*s?ght eye,
but had
hadgp*J f trains, stop*
W^etta.
England was to get the fragments of
my chain made into a ring, which I al
ways wear. The tiger’s skin is now on
my library hearth, and I am often re
minded, as 1 look at it. of the joke of
my American friend, who used to de
clare that 1 am the only man he ever
knew who had been treed by a tiger.
A NOVEL CEREMONY.
Col. liob Inf/ersoU preach in <j his
brother's funeral sermon.
The funeral of Ebon G. Ingersoll,
n 7
brotherof the distinguished infidel, Col.
Robert G. Ingersoll, took place from
the residence of the deceased in Wash
ington city on Sunday last, and was at
tended by a large concourse of promi
nent citizens, Senators, Cabinet officers
and members of Congress. The Post
says: The only persons who were not
present were the clergymen, who on
such occasions arc usually considered
indispensible. After the company had
gathered, Col. Robert Ingersoll, only
surviving brother of the deceased, arose
and informed the mournful gathering
that he had a few words to say. In a
voice tremulous with emotion, and at.
times so broken that the words could
hardly be understood, he read from a
manuscript the following eulogy :
“Dkah Fkiknds—l am going to do
that which the dead oft promised he
would do for me. The loved and loving
brother, husband, father, friend dieiL
where manhood’s morning almost toucjfl
es noon, and while the shadows sti
were falling toward the West.
not pas-a-d on life's highway
that marks the point, but
for a moment, he laid down by the
side, and. using his burden for a pi’HH
fell into that dreamless sleep'that k W§|
down ids eyelids still. While yet in
with life and raptured with the woivfl
he passed to silence and pathetic dusM
Yet,, after all, it may be best, just in
happiest, sunniest hour of all the voy
age, while eager winds are kissing eve‘J
ry sail, to dash againstthe un.sfei:rock]
and in an instant hear tin; hi
above a sunken ship. For u’jHHHH
mid sea or among the hn-ak jRHHjB
farther shore a wreck mustnT ■HHH
the end of each and all. And
matter if its is
love and every
joy. will, at its a
as sad and deep as can
ven from the warp of i'H si wh
and death. This
in every storm of i oak gjlllflllf
but in tie - hi:
bower. !I ( • u■<- tfi V"' * vil
-'in]-. H"
ail -up'i’-: it ion- ,y- ‘' : '*
forelic:;d ici !t he , - ‘. v
grander day. He
and was with
touched to tears. HefIHSPfIHHSHHB
weak, and with a
aims. V\ itli loyal kVf£- AvnnHi
pun t hands he v *
all ]. uhl i e t ru -1 s.
Of liberty: a 1 ri<■ M .My-kyfg
thousands times 1 I w : '' !
these wojds : ‘For
•hipie ; and all <eV.&Saaß
reason the oHdi. justice tin* only
worship. the only religion,
and love the He added to
the siun ot and wore every
one for whom some loving ser
\ ice to bring a blossom to bis grave, lie
would sleep to-night beneath a wilder
ness of flowers. Life is a narrow vale
between the cold and barren peaks of
two eternities. We strive in vain to
look beyond the heights. Wo cry aloud
and the only answer is the echo of one
wailing cry. From the voiceless lips
°f * l,e unreplying dead there comes no
word; but. in the night of death liojio
sees a star and listening love can hear
the i ustle of a wing. He who sleeps hero
when dying, mistaking the approach of
death for the return of health, whisper
ed with liis latest breath : “I am better
now. Let us believe, in spite of doubts,
and dogmas, of fears and tears, that
these dear words are true of all Hu
countless dead. And now to you, who
have been chosen from among the many*
men he loved, to do the last sad office of
the dead, we give his sacred dust.
Speech cannot contain our love. There
was, there is no gentler, stronger, man
lier man.”
Tiiis concluded th services. The cas
ket was the closed, and was carried to
the hearse hyAjenators Blaine, Davis of
*1 Allison, Reprc
s,t|l* r.ov,
v;:-.
■ ,lu. u . r.!