which she disgorges on her return from hunting or kill. Carrying
meat to any distance would be an unnatural proceeding, and the
half-digested flesh is probably better adapted to the requirements of
young cubs.
When only six weeks old the cubs move from place to place with their
mother, but are left at home while she hunts, though she leads them
to feast if near when she kills.
Watching for the return from a kill, or at a pool where they are
known to drink, is a method of hunting chiefly practiced by natives.
Poison pitfalls and traps are generally brought into play when
dealing with a man-eater. There is perhaps no method of shooting
tigers so seldom successful as watching for their return to feed on
animals they have killed. For my part, I confess to a great liking
for the silent and solitary watch, which kind of shooting requires
the utmost vigilance and patience.
In a shady, green-screened platform in some fine tree, watching at
the cool of evening, when jungle sounds alone break the stillness and
birds and animals seldom seen at other times steal forth and can be
watched at leisure, an intense excitement is kept alive by the
possibility of the tiger's appearance at any moment. Those without
experience at this game do well to pause, but one who knows the beast
he has to deal with may kill many dangerous animals on foot without
accident or even serious adventure. Almost every accident that
occurs is directly traceable to ignorance or carelessness; the hunter
is a tyro or over-venturesome, or due precautions are not observed
when following a wounded beast on foot and moving about where he does
not think the animal can possibly be, he is seized.
Tiger shooting on foot can never, of course, be safe sport; risks
must be run, but if properly conducted, dangerous game shooting on
foot is not the mad amusement usually supposed.
It makes all the difference in the world whether the animal to be
attacked is wounded or not, and whether any tiger should be attacked
on foot or left alone depends greatly on the nature of the jungle in
which he is found.
In the grass plains and thick undergrowth in parts of the Malay
Peninsula I have seen tigers that could only be shot at from the
elevation of an elephant's back. None but the utterly ignorant would
think of following a wounded tiger in the long grass or close cover
where it has every advantage, and the hunter may be seized before he
has time to use his rifle. In such cover the tiger rarely makes any
demonstration, seeking only to avoid observation, but when almost
stumbled upon he attacks like lightning.
Under no temptation should a hunter's last shot be fired at a
retreating beast.
The really best time for tiger hunting in the Malay Peninsula is in
the height of the hot season, July and August, when the water supply
is at its lowest ebb. The tigers being very impatient of thirst,
seek the lowest valley where much of the game he preys upon has
gathered and where the village cattle are regularly watered.
It is quite useless to devote much time in hunting the hill or game
killing tiger that preys upon game alone; they are so scattered over
a large tract of jungle and so active and wary that it is only by
accident that they are ever brought to bay.
The average size of a full-grown tiger is from eight and a half to
nine feet from nose to tip of tail and weight from two hundred and
seventy-five to three hundred and twenty-five pounds.
One day an old friend, Tungku S'leman, a petty rajah from Kelantan,
then under the Siamese Protectorate but now under the British, called
on me and invited me to go back with him to his district to trap or
kill tigers, and he assured me I would be able to get some fine tiger
cubs. I was in fact very anxious to secure a few good specimens of
young tigers, but as his district was far inland, near the boundary
line of a small state called "Rawang," I did not think it worth my
while to go, for it would involve a lot of time, and knowing the
Malays and their ways so well, it might mean that I would have to
beat about the country on a wild goose chase. A Malay will always
exaggerate, no matter on what subject, and, as stated elsewhere in my
articles, they finally believe what they are telling. They will
never do today what can be put off until tomorrow--"Nou-tee Bess-so"
(wait tomorrow) is one of the principal words in their vocabulary.
As the Tung-ku's district was difficult to reach, the Kelantan river
branching miles from the nearest point, and elephants being the only
means of travel, I told him that if I decided to go back with him he
would have to furnish the elephants and all the men I might need. I
also pointed out to him the difficulty in transporting animals and
cages to the coast, and that the cost in time to me would probably be
greater than the trip and animals were worth. It was my policy not
to show any interest.
I could see that the Tungku was anxious to have me return with him to
his district, as it was tiger infested, and his people were leaving
on that account. He agreed to do everything in his power as to men,
elephants and transportation to the coast. I told him I was very
busy but that I would think it over, and to come back in a few days
when I would give him a definite answer.
As nearly all my animals had been shipped from my house in Orchard
Road, I decided to take the trip with Tungku S'leman and go in for
not only tigers but whatever it was possible to get. I was keen on
securing a good specimen of rhinoceros, and tapir, so made my
preparations for a lengthy stay in his district, and for getting
whatever animals I could, large or small. When on the following day
the Tungku came to see me and I told him I would go back with him, he
seemed a happy man. I advised him to send his chief follower on
ahead so that he could have the elephants meet us at the end of our
trip down the Kelantan river, to take us inland, as that would save a
lot of time and unnecessary waiting for them to come down for us. He
assured me the elephants were there as they would remain until he
returned. So the following week we started up the coast in a small
vessel, and arriving at Koto Bharn, we went up by boat to the
capital, Kelantan, and the next day after paying my respects to the
Sultan, we started up the Kelantan river to where the river turned
further south. Here at a kampong we found the four elephants of
Tungku S'leman. We stopped four days at this kampong, getting
everything packed that would not be used or wanted until we reached
the Tungku's village, which meant a four days' journey through jungle.
Taking six men, including the headman, I started on a tour of
inspection of that district for the best location to set up our
traps, dig pits, and spread nets for smaller game, as the headman
informed me that deer, wild pigs and tapir were numerous, but very
shy. On our return to the kampong, I had a trap made and set up for
the catching of tigers and leopards, and explained how the nets were
to be made of rattan, both large and small mesh, and how to set them
amongst the trees. I was particular to impress upon the headman that
he was to remove all signs of the jungle being disturbed and if
possible have a goat tied to the windward while setting up the large
trap.
I did the same at the two other kampongs before we reached Tungku
S'lamen's village, where I was received with interest by the natives,
as I was one of the very few white people they had ever seen, and as
the runners had hurried on ahead as we were getting close to his
village, they were all out to see Man Gagah (Sir Elephant). After
resting for a few days and hearing whatever news there was regarding
the man-eater that was terrorizing the district, I thought it best to
try and round him up by elephants.
As they are cowardly, as well as cunning, they are most difficult to
stalk, and as their movements are so uncertain it is very difficult
to locate them, it was essential that the men who were to work with
me could be depended upon at the right moment. I assured them that
in numbers they were safe from the tiger, and that by showing a bold
front the tiger would be more afraid of them than they of it. The
last time it had been reported had been about ten days before, and
nothing could be done for the time being, so I started the men making
traps, snares and nets. These I intended to set up within a certain
area, while with others I started out on a tour of inspection with
the elephants to visit all the water holes and drinking pools in the
surrounding district. There I intended to have pits dug and to mark
the best places for setting the nets; the traps I intended to set up
later, depending more on the nets, as I had already had traps set up
in the kampongs on our way to the Tungku's village. I spent a whole
week in working out different areas for snaring by nets.
I had nets made of twisted rattan in sizes of twenty by fifteen feet
with meshes six inches, other nets ten by eight and five by five feet
with meshes according to what the net was best adapted for.
The older men who could not follow the hunt, I had put to work making
transporting or rough string cages and crates, for monkeys as well as
tigers.
My plan was to work each section or area and catch by either net or
pit whatever we could. Everything was in readiness to start at
daybreak the following morning, when a native came running into the
kampong, crying as he ran, "Re-mow, Sa-tan" (Devil Tiger). The man
was about to collapse with fright and exhaustion from running. I
calmed him so he could tell his story, which was that while he, his
wife and daughter were gathering some faggots not one hundred yards
from his hut, the tiger suddenly sprang from the thicket and striking
his daughter down, carried her off in the jungle. After leaving his
wife in the hut, he ran to the Tungku's kampong to inform the Tungku
what had happened.
As it was too late in the afternoon to do anything I told Tungku
S'lamen to send out the alarm for all the available men; the alarm is
sounded by the striking of a hollow log, which can be heard for miles
in the stillness of the jungle, and all natives hearing the booming
sound know its meaning. I advised Tungku to send five or six men
back with the messenger and for them to stay with him until we came
the next morning. The hunt was on, and all preparations were made at
once for our early start, as the men began to flock in from the
outlying kampong. They were to stay at the Tungku's kampong that
night to be ready to start at daybreak after eating their breakfast.
There was intense excitement throughout the whole night, very little
sleep for anyone, for, as I told the men, they would not return until
we had killed the tiger. A few of the natives, especially the
headmen, had flintlock, muzzle-loading rifles. To these I handed out
extra powder and slugs; they were really good marksmen and men who
could be depended on at the right moment.
We started at daybreak. The men having eaten, everyone was anxious
and eager to be off, now that the hunt was to be conducted not alone
by a white man, but in numbers. There were fifty natives; the Tungku
and two of his headmen with their flintlock rifles rode on the first
elephant, while Ali and myself followed behind on the second, the
third with stores bringing up the rear, for I had no idea when we
would get back. Although the Tungku assured me the elephants were
well broken, I did not place any reliance on them. Riding on an
elephant and jogging along peacefully is one thing, and tiger hunting
on the back of one is quite another. As I have mentioned elsewhere,
they are excessively timid both in their wild and domestic state, and
to become a well-trained, tiger-hunting elephant, one so broken must
have plenty of courage and experience. It is simply madness to
attempt to use an elephant that has never been broken and tried out,
as they will always bolt. Then again, if one never had a gun fired
from its back, the effect is rather startling to his riders. It is a
terrible thing to be bolted with while on an elephant's back in the
jungle. I intended to take no chances while mounted as far as
shooting was concerned, depending on cornering the tiger, if
possible, and if the ground were favorable, start on foot.
Besides my 50-110 express, I had a Holland double-barrel 450 and a
Fox No. 12 smooth bore shotgun. Ali had his spears, but was to use
either the express or double-barrel Holland if we came up with the
tiger. The other men carrying spears, parangs and tom-toms made up
the party. Arriving at the place where the girl had been seized, two
men who were experienced trackers took up the trail, which was quite
fresh and plain and could be easily followed. Presently we came upon
the remains of the poor victim. Very little was left--only the head
and upper part of her body. We stopped only long enough to bury the
remains. The tracks were not over an hour old, and as the jungle was
sparse, it would give no cover to the tiger. After crossing a small
stream, his track led toward a rocky hill less than two miles
distant, coming suddenly into a clearing with tall grass.
I shouted to the men to spread out, keep quiet, and move slowly
within a few feet of each other. As the grass was still heavy with
dew, we could see where the tiger had passed through to the right
into the thicker jungle. We had perhaps traveled about one hour, the
tracks becoming difficult to follow on account of heavy undergrowth,
when we were startled by the screaming and chattering of monkeys. We
knew then the tiger was not far ahead, and at the same time the
elephant that the Tungku was on, spreading his ears and raising his
trunk, uttered a shrill, brassy trumpet, expressing his fear. I
called to the Tungku to take the elephant back, as he would be worse
than useless. He was quickly turned about and driven behind, the
Tungku coming up with me, the two headmen joining the men on foot.
The elephant I was on showed no sign of uneasiness; the mahout or
driver spoke sharply to him, calling back to me that he could handle
him as that was not the first time he had been used in smelling
tiger. Still I was loath to risk firing a gun from his back.
We followed the trail of the chattering monkeys, when suddenly they
ceased, as we came to a very heavy patch with thick undergrowth,
excellent cover for the tiger, into which he had evidently gone. The
patch itself was not more than seventy yards in diameter. I called
to the men to stretch but and surround the place, and make as much
noise as possible, keeping close together.
As soon as the patch was surrounded, I told the Tungku to send the
two elephants, the one he had been on and the other one carrying
stores, back to his kampong for more men, and the men as they came on
were to cut and load up the elephants with all the dry wood they
could; also each man was to carry some wood and as many of the long
nets as had been made. These I intended to spread out at the back
and as much around the sides as possible, making doubly sure he
should not escape. I told the Tungku we would not leave the spot
until the tiger had been killed. I had a platform built with
"kaj-ongs" forming the roof. This was very soon finished, and late
in the afternoon the elephants returned with more foodstuffs, wood
and forty men. Each man had gathered a good bundle of dried wood,
which wood I had passed around, as I intended to form a circle of
fire and keep the tiger within the circle. I then had the fires
started and they were kept up the whole night, but in the morning the
fires that were in front of the platform were allowed to die out, and
after the men had taken turns eating, I ordered them to close in
about twenty-five feet, throwing the fire before them. In this way I
kept narrowing the circle every few hours while we on the platform
kept a keen lookout.
On the second day one of the headmen on the left side of the circle
fired a shot at what he said was the tiger. Instantly there was a
great commotion and the men started shouting and making a great
noise. We were keenly on the alert, as the platform faced the only
spot of the circle that was open and free from fire, and hoped the
tiger would break cover. Suddenly Ali, touching me, quietly said, as
he raised his gun to his shoulder, "Tuem-block-on-po-ko" (behind the
tree). Telling him to cover the left side, I covered the right side
of the tree the tiger was crouching behind, and told Ali to shoot as
close to the tree as he could without hitting it. He fired, and
almost instantly I let go at a streak of yellow and black; it
disappeared at once. The yelling by this time was enough to drown
the grunt or roar of the tiger; there was no way at the time to know
if we had succeeded in hitting it, so completing the fire circle in
front of the platform, we lay down to sleep as best we could. What
little wind there was, was in our direction, and kept us pretty free
from being eaten alive by mosquitoes.
On the morning of the fourth day the tiger had not broken cover and
as the circle had now narrowed to about fifty yards, the heat was
intense, for the fires were kept going day and night. Still the
tiger would not break cover. I was determined to go into the circle
then with the elephant, as the nets were well put up at the back,
outside of the fire, and that allowed more men to strengthen the
sides. I was taking no chances of escape. I had two headmen get up
on the elephant I had come on, and told the driver to back a short
distance, as I wanted the headmen to shoot off their guns from the
elephant's back, in order to watch the effect on the elephant. I
told them to each fire his gun off on opposite sides but not at the
same instant. Well, he never moved, and when those muzzle-loading
flintlocks go off they certainly kick and make a startling noise.
After that test I was satisfied to take the chance and told the
Tungku that Ali and myself were going in after the tiger, and that he
and his two headmen must keep a sharp lookout from the platform and
have their guns trained on the opening. The mahout was a plucky
fellow and felt very proud, assuring me he could handle his elephant.
I passed the word for all the men to be on the lookout and allow the
fire on the right side to die out, to keep together, and those of the
headmen who had guns should shoot if the tiger tried to break
through. As soon as the fires had died down, I told the driver to go
ahead and keep to the right side. When on an elephant in fair
ground, the object should be to get the tiger to charge instead of
letting him sneak away, for the hunt is then ended in a short and
exciting encounter, but if once let away it may be hours before he is
found again, if he ever is at all.
Coming opposite the tree where we had shot at the tiger, and under a
patch of heavy undergrowth, against a large boulder, we both saw it.
Seeing the elephant it gave a coughing roar, and as it did I let go,
catching it fair in the eye. Ali had his spear poised ready to
throw, but the man-eater slumped down and to make sure I put another
explosive bullet in its side as it lay. I called to the Tungku we
had got it. I will not try, for I could not adequately describe the
scene which followed when the men knew their foe had been killed;
shouting, yelling, dancing, they went wild. Runners started off at
once racing back to the kampong to tell the news and have the women
make ready a feast. The return to the kampong was like a royal
procession. The Tungku and I on the elephant led the way, the men
carrying the dead tiger, singing and laughing, calling the dead
animal all manner of names. There was great feasting that night; it
was made hideous with the singing and beating of tom-toms, and,
although dead tired from lack of rest, sleep was impossible. In the
morning the Tungku did a most astonishing thing; nothing of the kind
had ever been known to the oldest subject; he set free five of his
debt slaves.
On examination I found that the first time we fired at her, while
behind the trees, as she leapt back from the shot Ali had fired, I
had caught her in the flank, smashing the hind leg, and with all her
suffering, thirst and heat, she never betrayed her cover or uttered a
sound.
She measured eight and three-quarters feet from tip of nose to tip of
tail and weighed about two hundred and ninety pounds. She was in
milk, but though we searched, we never found her cubs.
VII
UP A TREE IN THE JUNGLE
For fully a week after the killing of the man-eating tiger, I devoted
all my time seeing to the making of rough transportation cages,
crates of all sizes, and small nets. One morning I told the Tungku
of a plan I had to get some large nets made in a hurry. "Te-dor,
bully tûan" (Cannot be done, sir), said he, shaking his head. I then
explained to him how I intended to work it. Clapping his hands to
his sides he went into a fit of laughter, and was as pleased as a
child, saying: "By tûan by (Good, sir, good)." I have stated before
that getting work out of a Malay was an art that can only be attained
by close intercourse and complete confidence on the part of the
native and by making work seem play or a game. To stage the affair
in the best light I had the Tungku give orders for a general assembly
of the men of the kampong, saying that the Tûan had a game he wanted
the men to enter into, and when they were all assembled, I told them
I was going to offer prizes to the men picked out and worked as
crews, that made the best and most nets in four days,--one day for
the cutting and washing the rattan, one day for the splitting and
twisting the rattan into rope, and two days for net-making, the
net-making to start on the third day at six o'clock in the morning
until four o'clock in the afternoon and no work to be done on the
nets until the next morning, when they started again at six o'clock
and worked until four. The nets were to be made ten by eight with
six-inch mesh, there would be four men to a crew, and three crews
would go in for the prizes. Those who wanted to enter were to step
forward and the Tungku would pick them out--no old men or boys. They
were to start the next morning, the prizes were five dollars
(Mexican) to each man of the crew that made the best and most nets,
three dollars each to the next crew and two dollars each to the last.
As soon as the Tungku had picked them out, each crew should choose
the space they wanted to work in and set their poles and stakes for
the twisting of the rattan and the making of the nets. This I told
them to do as it saved them a lot of time, trouble and confusion, for
then each crew would know the space it was to work in so as not to
interfere and get in one another's way. The race was not to begin
until the next morning at six o'clock, when they were to line up at
the Tungku's house and at the word "go" start for the jungle and cut
rattan.
Believe me, I started something! If there is one thing a Malay
loves, it is a game or race of any kind, pitting themselves against
one another; anything that has a flavor of sport that can be gambled
on.
Every man was eager, and the Tungku, looking them over, picked out
the men, and as each man was chosen, the men, women and children
howled with delight, clapping hands, passing all manner of jokes and
banter. When the men were picked out the Tungku formed them in
crews; they were a pretty proud lot. Again warning them that they
could not start making the nets until the second day, and that after
they started in the morning to cut the rattan, if they were caught
taking help from any of their friends, they would be thrown out of
the race, he told them to get busy and lay out their poles and
stakes. The Tungku shaking his head and laughing, said: "Tûan
bow-gar poro-day sea-opper pe-care, e-to (Sir, you are very clever,
who would think of that)."
In the meantime the men and their friends got to work staking out and
putting up cross-sections and poles for the twisting of rattan and
the making of the nets. Everyone in the kampong was laughing and
talking over it. It was going to be great sport and plenty of fun;
each had their favorites and were already making wagers on them.
This was not work! This was play, sport, a game, rivalry, having an
audience, for the whole kampong and those from the outlying districts
would be there; men, women and children cheering and edging them on,
not alone for the prizes but the prestige it would give to be known
as the best and fastest net-makers in the whole of Kelantan. The
tiger hunt was off, and the net-making and round-up was on.
At daybreak the following morning, the whole kampong gathered at the
Tungku's, and, after eating the breakfast of rice and dried fish,
started off for the jungle to cut, collect and wash the rattan.