60 Sporting Notes in the Far East. 



While on the subject of tails, I might mention that a Chinaman 

 will give anything, for the tail or whiskers of a dead tiger, as a 

 " Joss Pidgin " (charm or fetish) ; and as an example as to how 

 much these adornments are prized, I have more than once heard of 

 the tail of an ornamental tiger skin laying in a drawing room, being 

 unceremoniously cut off and stolen, by a thief of a " houseboy." 



In Corea, there is a popular saying that in summer the natives 

 hunt the tigers, but in winter matters are reversed, and the tigers 

 hunt the Coreans ; and there is not the slightest doubt, that to a 

 great extent this is true. In conjunction with this, the following 

 true (and as related to me) graphic story is told, of how a few years 

 ago, a Russian sportsman saved a native farmer's life. 



He was returning from an unsuccessful tiger hunt, not far from 

 the capital, Sceul ; when as he rode along, he suddenly saw within 

 one hundred and fifty yards of the road, a huge tiger cautiously 

 stalking a Corean, who was stooping down engaged in tilling his 

 field, with his back turned towards the savage brute. 



The Russian immediately loaded his rifle, but was so excited, 

 that instead of dismounting and taking careful aim, he fired a snap 

 shot from the back of his horse, and as luck would have it, the 

 ball passed through the tiger's back, severing the spinal cord and 

 killing him instantly. 



Now comes the queer part of the whole thing, and it gives a good 

 insight into the rude Corean character. 



