To be sure, unless it was a one-eyed tiger, he ought to see two bright
spots, but he did not stop to consider this point, but took deliberate
aim at the spot and fired.
Nothing happened. No tiger jumped out.
Then the Major fired, although he was not quite certain that he did
see a shining spot. Still there was no sign of a tiger having been
shot. Even if the beast had been fairly hit by either of the shots, it
is likely that he would have made some disturbance inside the cave, for
tigers are very hard to kill.
Several other shots were fired without effect, and the hunters came to
the conclusion that there was no tiger in the cave.
[Illustration: OUT OF THE CAVE SPRANG AN ENORMOUS TIGER.]
However, they consented to let the natives try a plan that they
suggested. This was to smoke the tiger out of his hole. So great
quantities of dried leaves and twigs were collected, and thrust into
the mouth of the cave. While this work was going on, the men were very
enthusiastic about it, and ran up with their arms full of leaves and
sticks, seeming to entirely forget what a predicament they would be in
if a tiger should be within, and if he should make up his mind to come
out before they had finished their job.
When all was ready the dry stuff was fired, and very soon a great smoke
arose, and as the wind blew towards the rocks, most of the smoke went
into the cave.
In about three minutes a horrid growl was heard, and every darkey took
to his heels, one of them making about five jumps towards a distant
tree, up which he climbed like a monkey.
And they were none too quick. Out of the cave sprang an enormous tiger.
The two white men had their rifles to their shoulders in an instant,
and they fired almost simultaneously. The tiger did not stop, however,
but rushed on, apparently after one of the natives. But before he
reached him the Colonel fired the second barrel of his rifle, and
rolled the beast over. One or two more shots finished him.
This hunt was considered a great success, for the tiger was a very
large one, and was no doubt, the murderer of the bullocks. The natives
were delighted, and went to work to take off the skin, which was
awarded to our Colonel, who had fired the decisive shot.
While in the cave the tiger had probably been lying behind some rocks,
with only part of his head exposed. He had not cared to leave his
entrenchments while they were firing at him, but he evidently did not
like smoke.
The next time the Colonel and Major Alden went out after tigers they
were on an elephant. They rode in a large wooden box on the elephant’s
back, in which they could stand and fire without much fear of a tiger
getting at them. They had wonderful success, for they came upon no less
than five tigers, out in an open space. One of these was soon killed,
and the others ran away in different directions, like enormous kittens.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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