CONFLICT WITH A TIGER ON THE MALABAR COA3T. 407 



Bateman and Murray proposed to attempt their escape in another direction : 

 while Turner, more courageous, was for facing the foe, and offered to fire upon 

 the Tiger if his companions would load their pieces. Mr. Turner had barely 

 secured a favourable position for the attack, as his eye met that of the Tiger, who 

 with an amazing bound and dreadful roar sprang up the cliff to meet him. The 

 assailant fired, and the Tiger fell, tumbling down the rock he had ascended with 

 so much agility ; but, recovering himself, the monster made a second spring, with 

 a roar of agonized fury, when he received Mr. Turner's second ball, which 

 tumbled him again backwards. Thrice again the Tiger returned to the charge, 

 more infuriated from the effects of each successive shot ; when Mr. Turner's 

 companions called out that the ammunition was expended, and advised their 

 escape by the back of the mountain. Against this he remonstrated, from his 

 own perilous position, and urged them to stand by him, but they were deaf to all 

 remonstrance, and disgracefully left him to the fury of the Tiger, whose near 

 approach was announced by a roar more terrific than any he had previously 

 uttered. Mr. Turner had but a moment to place himself in a posture of defence, 

 when the infuriated animal sprung at him, and received the bayonet into his 

 chest, up to the muzzle of the musket. In the attempt to disengage the bayonet 

 from the Tiger's chest, however, it unfortunately became separated from the 

 musket, which Mr. Turner instantly clubbed, and with every energy that fear 

 and courage could supply, he struck the Tiger with such force as slightly to 

 fracture his skull ; whilst the firelock was broken, by the blow, into three pieces. 



Up to that moment, the hardy soldier had not received a single scratch, though 

 he had inflicted many severe wounds upon his adversary ; but his present position 

 was the extreme of peril, being unarmed and completely defenceless before an 

 enraged Tiger, whose wounds appeared to make him the more dreadfully infuriate. 

 The Tiger sprung at the head of his victim, and immediately brought him to the 

 ground, and, seizing Mr. Turner by the right shoulder, he lifted him from the 

 ground with a furious shake, tearing his body across the loins, from side to side. 

 In a very short period thirty-three wounds were inflicted upon the body of Mr. 

 Turner, whilst his garments, which were a sort of undress of light calico, were 

 torn to shreds and drenched in blood : indeed, all that remained of his dress upon 

 the mangled body, were the waistband of the pantaloons and the collar of his 

 shirt. Though thus dreadfully mutilated, shaken, and torn, by the savage beast, 

 Mr. Turner had the presence of mind to fix his grasp in a wound which one of 

 the muskets balls had made in the neck of the Tiger, and tore out a quantity of 

 ragged flesh from the interior of the wound. From the pain thus inflicted upon 

 the Tiger, he uttered a tremendous roar, which was distinctly heard into the 

 camp, a mile distant, and then took his departure. 



