SHOOTING A TIGER FROM A MOYCIIAUN, OR PLATFORM.
an,l returns to his proy. In llic mean thnc, liowcvev, llic jackals, allnred by ll.o
smell of ll>c fresh Mood, c rowj around and, dnrhig tlio opportuni t y oBcrcd ot
p a r l a k h i g of the spoil, exhibit such powers of dcmoiiliou as niu.st often aslou,si.
t h e voyal depredator ; wlio occasioually finds hut little left to satiate his returning
a p p e t i t e .
W h i l e the liger is enjoying his nap, the shecarric, aided by the vdlagcrs, who
on sueh an occasion aet willi a proiiiptitude and alacrity strongly indieative of
t h e i r eoinmon interest in the cause, hastily constructs a mc,,diau,,, or philloriu,
w h e r e o n lo take post, and waleh for the liger's second visit to the carcase, Tlie
p l a l f o r n i is made of such materials as the neighbourhood furnishes; and
bamboos, if auainable, are employed, as being light, strong, and easily worked
n p . They possess also a qualily peculiarly execllent for sueh a purpose ;
namely, they have a polished, hard bark, not unlike thai of a fine walking
cane ; which, iii case the tiger should attempt to cliuib, renders his hold less
secure, and indeed debars his claws from fixing ; as tfiey would do in soil,
a n d especially in new w'ood.
However, in many parts of the countries Infested by tigers, bamboos are not
lo be liad of siiflicienl size lo apply to the present purpose. When such is the
ease, small saul trees, or other straight timber, must be breught. 11 the
village be distant, recourse is necessarily had Lo w h a t the jungle may alVord,
a n d every exerlion is made to cut down sneh trees as may bo recpiired to erect
a «,o,,cha,,„, elevated from fifteen lo twenty feel frem ibe ground, and aboul
fonr feet square ; sulfieienlly spacious lo hold one person ipille al Ins case, and
to be above ihe spring of the tiger. The four poles supporting the plalform
ilsclf, which is made of split bamboos, twigs, &e. should be moderalely snbs
l a n t l a l , and well fixed into ihc ground ; else, in the event of ihe liger allempting,
as somelimes happens, lo ascend and avenge himself after being wounded
b y the shecrne, the whole might be borne down by his weight, and the poor
sporlsman be in the most iuiminent danger from his enraged antagomsl.
All being in readiness, ihe pr e p a r e s lo take his post. After reeeivhig
Ihe compl imcnl s and good wishes of all assembled, and seeing lhal every thing
necessary is at hand, he ascends; his arms being handed up to him by some of
Ihe most zealous of the parly, who fail not lo pour forth tlicir commendalions
and blessings ; and, as iLey retire, iiuote some salulary passages Irom their
religious tracts, under llie fullest impression of their lending lo promote the
A - c m r l e , success. Few omit lo bespeak a lalon ; but such as have been bereft
of relation», or parlieular friends, by ligers, especially by lhal in qnesliou, are
p a r l i e u h i r l y imporliinale, and ofli;r handsomel y for sueh an invaluable ac.pllsit
i o i i ; being fnlly persuaded, thai, tlienceforlh, no liger would allempl to
molesl Ihein. They have a superlalive idea of ihe power of a lahsman lornied
of two liger's lalons, pointing from each other, and of which immense numbers
a r e wornt usually set in silver, and suspended from the neck. However, some
ligers, nol being perhaps very rigidly scrupulous, make free wi l h such persons
as are provided, not only willi lliis cliartii, l)iiL possess many other etjiially iui
a l l i b l e prolecLions, purcliased iVnin llie priestliood and olliers at enonnous
prices ! We shoiiki be apt lo con e lude lliat llii; many Lrcspasi^i-s itiad(; by lij^crs
on snch sacred insignia, would sliakc llii^ Cailli oflliu peoj)l(! in gonoral ; bnt in
a country so coni])lelely siipersliliou.s and ])riesl-ridden as India, where eunnin;;
r e i g n s Iriuniphant and reason is rarel y lo ]>c found, it is easy to sihrnci: thf;
crednlous wil li any doviee, however absurd. Tlie eoninioti way, however, of
a c c o u u t i n g for llic insuificiiuiey of tlie ehann, is lo accuse tliu deceased of lia\ing
coinniittcil some crime ; which, polluting l)olh his body and his soul, rcndenrd
i h e holy safeguar d unavailing, and in fact al)rogaled all its virtues,
T i i e shccarrie having ascended the platform, awaits wilh ihe most resigned
paticnce for ihe tiger's return. His match, made of palectah, is kcjd in constant
readiness ; his i a h u r , or scymitar, is examined that it may be free in the
scabbard, so as to draw wilh promptitude on emergency ; \\\&<lliaul, or shi<-hl, is
slunn- in a commodious position ; and all his apparatus placed with the almost
care, in com])lele preparation for the expected encoiniler. An alarm among
t h e jackals, which indicate by their sudden retreat not only the approach of
t h e liger, bnt tbefiuarlcr from which i)e is about to appear, rou.<es the shccarrie
f r om his state of iuerlion, and demands instant attention. The horde of p<!lty
pliniderers speedily vanish : perhaps a few of the boldest, or most sharp-set,
continue to lurk in the environs of the sanguinary scene ; or, eventually, ascending
upon some sleep rock, or under cover of some umbrageous tree, whose
stem is surrounded by low brush-wood, thei-e await, imder tlie hope of being
again permitted to partake of the feasl. These eye the ))rindled tyrant witli
env}', and would no doubt willingly change situalions, al the very moment
wlien perhaps the keen aim of the shccarrie directs tlie fatal bullet into the
h e a r t of the nnsuspecting devourcr.
The scene now suddenly changes; even the most audacious of ihi- jackals,
alaruuKi by the report of the malch-lock, and not less so al the violent contortions
and dismal bowlings of the wounded tiger, Hy wilh preci[)italion from
t h e spot. For the most part the tigers arc overcome by a single shot ; which,
a.s ha.s before been remarked, is fired under all the advantages of long practice,
and a sense of passable securily. The tiger generally falls immediately ; but if
t h e case should appear lo demand further proceedings, llie sUecarrie hastens lo
re-eh.arge his piece ; and awailing with great coolness for a favourable jiosilion,
r a r e l y fails lo render a tliird discharge unnecessary. If the tiger be not
mortally wounded, he endeavours lo retire into ihe jungle. On such an
occasion the s/iecanve must be guided entirely by eircumslances, wliether lo disconliniie
the pursuit, leaving lo chance to decide as lo the issue; or, if lie deem
it prudcnl, lo follow at a suilable dislanec, and taking advantage of any height
or situation of securily, to renew his allack. The pain produced hy the wound
o r d i n a r i l y occasions much writhing and moaning, whereby llie shecarric is
enabled lo follow with ecrlaiuty, and to aim wilh tolerable correctness through
t h e cover, al the spot wher e ihe exasperated aniuial lies gnawing or licking the