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I l f IN MORTAL COMBAT BEFORE AN v r v T h YO T V y V NALL India there was no tiger like He was was-a monster and beau beautifully I streaked was his glossy coat as it e easily moved to and fro over his f muscular limbs and long back Connoisseurs in tiger fighting despaired i r finding a match in the arena for this elegant beast Yet when it was wasI I rumored that a ti r of enormous size and prodigious strength had been cap cap- li safe and in the Teral Taral which is a long strip of jungle land between I dude and de and Nepaul at the foot of the cloud Himalayas then the eager eager- St i-St of C the P populace to witness the contest was unparalleled The commander V c pf he pe Anglo I Indian Anglo dlan army was going to o visit the King of Oude and the great Y t of this re reception it was resolved should be the spectacle of a contest between these two animals Preparations of the most lavish description were made The courtyard was elaborately decorated with flowers and leaves w whose ose brilliancy o ot coloring alone furnished a a. scene of Oriental magnificence The royal canopy of crimson and tissue was raised above tt chair while similar seats of honor were fixed on on either side for the l n in ander and his retinue I P tr cages of and Teral- Teral Terai Vallah for that was the name of the thai t r tiger were placed on opposite sides of the courtyard Their long shining backs were visible as they roamed around their ca caes es restless and greatly excited It was the intention that the animals should be aware of each presence for it is a well known peculiarity of the tiger Uger that ferocious as he is yet when sometimes suddenly brought into the presence of ot f v v or v danger he co and retreats and slinking away crawls down upon his bell aId shows no disposition to fight Teral- Teral and growls of and It was WIlS soon evident from the snarls for they gr led and WaHah that each tiger knew of each others other's presence lr teeth ill a manner to th kings king's ot felines On rh t one your Excellency bet spoke of the King will pardon but I beg to be excused d the he astute Y ur JP Majesty i 11 if i. i me A O MS-O j jA official d said ld 3 the K King Ing A hundred on In At Done that Teral will win f Done the Resident I think last the si signal nal was given v s. s given the bamboo railing In front of the cages ar Teral Jeral sprang nimbly as a cat out of his cage opening his jaws jaw ana shaking his tail from side to side with a slow yet powerful motion modon fifty feet from each tich other otner advanced slowly u until both animals were perhaps shaking their taU tails meanwhile as they stealthily eyed each other Then advanced J a few few paces His adversary lay himself down aown on n t Under him if ready for a spring the court courtyard ard e weH as qs watched his toe int and began approaching approach not in a n. straight line out but coming up in th the arc of oi a circle a ay 1 if to cat catch h his opponent nt unawares les Teral- Teral the the opposite tP side I similar though rose to fo described a arc on The galleries were breathless with suspense l se Even the rustling cea ceased ed for the eyes of al the vast audience were ve e Intently fixed on the two beau beautiful ful beasts circling toward each other Step by step tep each slowly advanced Kasra Iara as if s self confident made a spring It wa as' as if he was Impelled to O do do it by oy some unseen that he could not resist yet at the same I instant tant Teral- Teral WaHah jumped aside alighted foiled and before he could cover self se-If Teral was vas upon him his huge claws fixed firmly In til's neck and the the- horrid jaws grating at his throat It vos' vos the work of ot a moment It could scarcely be seen een that Terai had gained any advantage when hen made another spring a a. bound in which was concentrated all his his' energy The Teral was dragged with him tor for a short space The claws that had been dug into his neck w were re torn gratingly through it the open mouth snapped fiercely but harmlessly at the advancing shoulder which bore m marks k of Terai- Terai sharp teeth Vi I Shavash Ill I'll make it golden cried li the e excited King ct Two hUn hundred red let it b be- be and the Resident wrote down in his his' i little tablet that he tool took from hin silken girdle v Fora moment the two tigers stood gazing at each other v J distended jaws their jaws their ample mouths opened to to their utmost their utmost limits their beautifully streaked d skins kins smarted from their forms in In excitement while their tails moved convulsively aa s if it snapping like was the first to attack again b but t he tc was too ne near r to try his former formel trick of ot sUpping slipping to one one side He He j ad-j v boldly Th y stood In the centre of qi the arena and claws m moved ved so o- o rapidly r and huge mouths tr trying to grasp each others er necks necks that it was impossible to tell the attack from the defence They drew gradually nearer Hearer as they thus fought uttering fierce snarls Each seemed tp have sut sut- sut in grasping the others other's throat With With their mouths buried fn each oth oth- 1 ers er's flesh and their claws dug deeply into the neck they arose at l length to the contest on their hind feet straining and tugging and wrestling as with each aeh other each with witti its utmost st force and skill It It was a sublime moment and breathless was the interest of the assembled assembled multitude fully six ix feet high as as they thus grappled wl with h each other elevated on their hind legs lpg'S in a kind of death struggle their round heads and glaring eyes eyes' surmounting surmount surmount- ing the muscular pillars pillars' of their long bodies Firmly their fixed into the neck on both sides There was no shifting of position No further grasping either with mouth It wasa contest of life Both were bleeding freely and it was a contest of strength now as as which to-which would be th thrown own under and loose its hold At length th more skillful or impetuous ous than her antagonist overthrew him and the two rolled over in the arena Terai on back beneath aboVe has as it shouted many a voice but the advantage was with him for only a moment The hind claws of were being plunged into the belly of ot his foe when Teral who never let go his hold for a moment his mouth struck one of his is vs over the face of his antagonist His cla claWs s evidently pierced eyes One of them was torn from its socket and uttering a howl of pain arid and despair the mu mutilated beast relinquished his and would have torn himself from his antagonist But Terai- Terai Terai would not let go his hold but clung to his throat He was dragged a a few paces over the arena by who in turn tried to release himself and then all at once leaping from his prostrate position the Terai- Terai WaHah hurled himself on the top o of his assailant The fight was virtually ended now fallen beneath his foe and fast losing blood could not regain the advantage he h had d lost The Teral Terai thrusting one paw under his lower jaw forced back the head further until he fixed hl his t teeth eth still more deeply into his throat fought ineffectually with His paws tearing the skin of his antagonist here and there but his strength was fast ebbing away is beaten was heard on all sides side's s in arid English He is said the King and orders were given to o cage and drive off Terai- Terai Terai WaHah Red hot rods were thrust at ithe the b before fore he would release his hold and yet it was way the life of ra Kag-ra could be saved At l last t Terai Vallah was driven off his paws dripping with blood cage was opened and he at on once e made for it He fi fled d stealthily and with a like cat tread The r hot red irons were ere thru thrust t jn front ont of Terai to prevent him from pursuing He stood and glared at his beaten toe foe and before h had d reached his cage sprang sprang high above the the to attack attack him re reached his ched his his' cage and crouched in the furthest I corner r like a whipped cur Terai Vallah w watched his retreating foe till the last last hen then two or three times licked the blood from his paws rose majestically from r in his crouching position and with the delber deliberation of a Judge walked walked to toward tord rd his rage age and large drops of blood and a lacerated shoulder attested how dearly his hard earned victory had been Won |