Tales of Tiger Hunting
With big hungry tigers table manners have no place
Oh dear no
After they have eaten you they never say their grace
Oh dear no
Hunting tigers can be ripping fun
like three blind men see the hunters run
Hunting tigers out in India
out in, out in, out in India
Todays dear readers, comes to us from the happy days of the Raj & concerns a plucky subaltern serving with the 4th Gurkha Rifles, at Bakloh, a hill station, some 4,500 ft above sea level, in the northern Punjab. On the day in question, our brave sahib, received a report from a watchman that he had just seen a leopard. Swiftly, arming themselves & forming a skirmish line our intrepid hunters set an ambush, while the beaters, throwing stones & making as much noise as possible, attempted to drive the animal forward to the waiting guns.
As the guns passed the regimental servants quarters, they heard bloodcurdling screams & shouts from the brush in front of the buildings. Near the shack, Baliram, an orderly staggered into view with his the left side of his face hanging off crying, Khaya, khaya! (It has eaten me).
They bite, they scratch, they make an awful fuss
It's no use stroking them, saying puss, puss, puss
Say, Jer it's jolly frightening out here
Nonsense dear boy you should be like me
But look at you, you're shaking all over
Shaking you silly goose, I'm just doing the Watusi
That's all
Tigers don't go out on rainy nights
They don't need to wet their appetites
Momentarily lying rifle to one side, to bandage the injured man with his coat, our hunter saw from the corner of his eye a streak of black & gold stripes racing out form behind the shack & taking off up the path Jangbahadur & another Indian arrived on the screen. Leaving one in charge of the injured Baliram, the other was dispatched to summon the medical officer while our officer took up his rifle & once more took off after the beast.
Moving over the brow of a nearby hill, the tiger was once again spotted. Dropping to a prone position, the marksman waited until the animal started trotting down a path away to the left. Above & from behind, & at a distance of 180 yards, over open sights, hostilities commenced with three rounds of rapid fire. The first bullet broke the top of the near hind quarter, slewing the animals across the path. The second round went through the off-side fore paw & the third struck high on the shoulder. Despite these wounds, the animal dragged itself off into some thick brush beside the path.
Having closed with its prey, our officer heard gasping roars coming from the undergrowth. Having studied the undergrowth, he finally made out a patch of yellow from among the bars of black & white in the shade. Following the form along & seeing a patch of white that was taken to be the ruff, the subaltern fired for a forth & final time. The animal convulsed & lay still.
Leaving a trusted NCO to ensure the whiskers & claws were not taken by locals, the hunter sahib returned to the hospital to inquire after Baliram. The doctor who reached the unfortunate within ten minutes had operated for nearly two hours. The poor man had lost part of his tongue & seven teeth, unfortunately dying of the trauma the next day.
The dead tiger was carried back on poles & laid on the mess verandah. People came from villages up to fifteen miles away to view the trophy until the mess havildar, with a sense of grim humour, put it in the mess guest room.
How many tigers can you find with fork and serviettes
Don't care in what part of you they fix their plate work sets
Hunting tigers out in India
out in, out in, out in India
Comments
"Bugles and a Tiger"; but which chapter?
How about some Jim Corbett.
Cheers
JMH
Posted by: J.M. Heinrichs | February 23, 2004 12:38 AM
I'm just browsing around your site for the first time, interesting read
Posted by: John Huron | November 4, 2004 6:59 AM
Tyger, Tyger, burning bright....
Posted by: SGT Jeff | December 23, 2006 12:06 AM
Some years ago I knew a chap who was an Indian Police Inspector, he wrote a book called "The Jackels Will Be there" by Mike Harrison, there are several tales similar to this one and although no longer in print (as far as Im aware) it is well worth a read if you can find a copy.
Posted by: Ratty | December 23, 2006 2:01 PM
whet
Posted by: The Pedant's Apprentice | December 23, 2006 3:50 PM
Greetings from the damp, grey North!
Wishing you & yours a Peaceful Christmas, and best wishes for the New Year.
Posted by: Bryn, North Wales | December 23, 2006 8:33 PM
Sadly tigers seem to be in some danger of extinction in the wild. The great cats seem to be in such demand in some parts of the world that they have been hunted to the very edge of extinction. It's a shame, I think.
Posted by: Christian Bagley | December 24, 2006 2:25 AM