The Day I Learnt The Importance Of Proper Information & Preparation

[WebleyGreene455]

The British army has a saying, echoed by several other armed forces. "Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss-Poor Perfomance". In this case, Professor, I reckon it was definitely the fault of the Forest Guards that you were unprepared for facing a tiger, although facing one with an inadequate firearm all the same is admirable in my eyes. Mr. Hiram's death was not your fault and I don't think he would blame you for it if he could speak today. I'm pleased to read that despite his death, people including yourself were able to walk away from this incident and that his children forgave you. I don't think it's strange of them to have done so.

 

[Professor Mawla]

Wow - Great adventure Professor Mawla! Even though I don't think you were to blame for the man's death I think supporting the mans children was very honorable.
Looking forward to more of your writing.

@Uncle Sauce
Thank you very much . I tried to raise those two children the best way I can . I am going to post another article in these forums within a few hours .

 

[Professor Mawla]

The British army has a saying, echoed by several other armed forces. "Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss-Poor Perfomance". In this case, Professor, I reckon it was definitely the fault of the Forest Guards that you were unprepared for facing a tiger, although facing one with an inadequate firearm all the same is admirable in my eyes. Mr. Hiram's death was not your fault and I don't think he would blame you for it if he could speak today. I'm pleased to read that despite his death, people including yourself were able to walk away from this incident and that his children forgave you. I don't think it's strange of them to have done so.

@WebleyGreene455
You are a very understanding person . We cannot really blame the Forest Guards either , because Royal Bengal tigers are not a native species to the Northern parts of Bangladesh ( they only inhibit the Sundarbans mangrove forests in the south west part of the country ) . Once in a blue moon , they come into the country from Indian forested territory .

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

The next day was spent making preparations . Niyazur and Joy took a great deal of effort in helping me out . We asked the Forest Guards about the locations where the corpses of the marauder’s victims were found . This , they pointed out to us . Niyazur also asked the Forest Guards if we could see the corpse of one of the marauder’s victims . Unfortunately , all of the corpses had already been buried and thus , we were denied this request. I did not think too much about it at the time .

As we visited the location of each attack site , Joy put down the marked the location down on a map . The intention was to triangulate the general area / route through which the cheetah was traveling . Combing through the area , we found one particular spot where the tree barks were full of deep scratch marks . Clearly the cheetah was using these tree trunks as scratching posts in order to clean their claws . Male cheetahs urinate on foliage in order to mark their territory . And this leaves an extremely pungent odor ( comparable to a rodent’s nest ) . Niyazur’s servants found were finally able to pinpoint the general location of the cheetah’s lair . However , it was quite difficult to search for any pug marks as the ground was too soft . It was now time for us to get ready .

Since none of the trees nearby were strong enough to support the weight of a blind , I had Niyazur’s servants dig a pit blind ( which we call “ Gortho “ in Bengali ) and cover it up with a crude “ carpet “ of leaves , after torching the entire blind with kerosene ( so that any snakes or insects under the ground would get killed by the fire ) . It was decided that I would be the one to hide inside the pit blind , while Joy and Niyazur remained in the jeep ( which would be parked about 200 yards away from me ) . I loaded an Eley Alphamax LG shell into the chamber of each barrel of my Laurona 12 bore . And I kept two extra LG shells in the breast pocket of my light green check cotton poplin shirt . I gave three LG shells each to Joy and Niyazur , as a precautionary measure . In case I were to get into trouble , it was their responsibility to come to my rescue .

Joy had gone to the local bazaar and purchased a calf , which I intended to use as live bait . We tied the calf to a tree which was around 20 feet away from the pit blind . As the sun went down , it was time for me to crawl into the pit blind . I did not need to stay there the entire night . If the cheetah did not come to feed by 9 PM or so , then it would not be coming at all on that night . I checked the chambers of my Laurona 12 bore and also the six cell torchlight which was clamped to the fore end . I began to wait . The calf was nonchalantly chewing away on a big pile of grass which we had left for him .

I waited until 9 PM , cautiously peeking out from under the leaf carpet and looking at the calf . However , nothing happened . As I was just about to crawl out of the pit blind , I could hear the leaves rumble nearby . All of a sudden , the calf began to bellow fearfully . It sounded as if a really huge animal was moving through the foliage and coming towards the calf . I could slowly make out a dark silhouette making it’s way towards the frightened calf . Come to think of it now ; even in the dark the silhouette appeared far too big to be a cheetah . I shouldered my 12 bore and put my finger on the switch of the six cell torchlight . When the silhouette had gotten parallel to my pit blind , I leapt up and switched on the torchlight . The illumination showed me something which I never expected to see . Standing about 15 feet away from me , was not a cheetah . But a huge snarling Royal Bengal tiger. Both it and I were utterly surprised by locking eyes with each other . But I reacted first .

I knew that I was going to die anyway , because there is no way by which LG shells can be used to fatally shoot a Royal Bengal tiger . But just as a last ditch effort at self preservation , I pulled both the triggers ; keeping the 12 bore aimed at the centre of the Royal Bengal tiger’s chest . The two concentrated charges of LG slugs caught the animal full on , in the chest . The Royal Bengal tiger simply snarled in rage and I thought that now I was done for . Miraculously enough , it rushed off into the foliage ; leaving me unharmed . Had it chosen to attack me on the spot that night , then I would not be among the living today .

However , things were far from over as I would realize the following morning .
View attachment 363236
Eley Alphamax LG shells owned by the author .

@Professor Malwa
You are very fortunate to be in the l and of the living. Did you access to lethal ball the same as our dear friend the Major.
Bob

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I was later heartbroken to learn that the poor Upojati tribal man who had been killed by the royal Bengal tiger , was named Hiram . He had two small children - a seven year old son and a nine year old daughter. My actions on December 22 had indirectly contributed to his death and now these children were orphaned .

The next year , Colonel Mirza ( who was more interested in wing shooting than big game hunting ) was looking to sell his .458 WM . I successfully applied for an N.P.B ( Non Prohibited Bore ) rifle license and was able to purchase the fine large calibre rifle from him for a very trivial amount of money . To this day , it remains in my possession and sees seasonal use on Axis deer and wild boar . In 1977 , it would also aid me in putting down a rogue Asiatic elephant ( a story which I shall also be relating on these forums ) .

For many years , Joy and Niyazur have always tried to comfort me by telling me that it was not my fault that Hiram had gotten killed . They instead blamed the Maulvi Bazaar Forest Guards for misleading us and telling us that the marauder was a cheetah , instead of a Royal Bengal tiger . But I cannot really blame them either . As a general rule , there are / were no Royal Bengal tigers in the Maulvi Bazaar forests in Bangladesh ( they are only found in the Sundarban mangrove forests of Bangladesh) . This Royal Bengal tiger must have come to Maulvi Bazaar from the Indian forest near our border ( such a bizarre incident would occur again in 2010) . If we had been able to examine a corpse of even one of the the marauder’s victims , then we would have easily known that the marauder was a Royal Bengal tiger , and not a cheetah . Joy always blamed the Maulvi Bazaar Forest Guards for ineptness , as they had examined all of the corpses of the marauder’s victims but not not tell the wound patterns of a Royal Bengal tiger apart from those of a cheetah .

Nevertheless , I had to accept responsibility for my negligence . I had the skin and skull of the Royal Bengal tiger sent to Hiram’s family , as a token of condolences . I also agreed to bear the financial responsibility of both the children and Hiram’s widow. Henceforth , for the next 15 years ; I began to send them some money on an annual basis . I wish that I could have provided more, but it was the best that ai could do . It covered both of the children’s school fees and the widow’s groceries . However , nothing that I do can ever bring their father and husband back to them .

When the children up ( sometime in the 1980s ) , I told them about the real circumstances behind their father’s death in 1986 . Strangely enough , they both readily forgave me . I later dedicated the prologue of my book ( which was published in 1999 ) to Hiram’s memory .

To this day , the skin of the marauder and the skull ( which the Upojati tribesmen have preserved with wax in an attempt to make it look more realistic ; as per Upojati cultural traditions ) remain in the Hiram’s family home .

View attachment 363239
Hiram’s children posing for a photograph taken by the author with their toy . February , 1977 .


THE END

@Professor Malwa
Things happen in life beyond our control. It seems there was a great deal of ineptness in the forest service not knowing what animal it was. On that night you were very blessed to have survived. The injury to the tiger would have caused it to kill anyway despite what you did.
You are a very kind, caring and compassionate man doing what you did for the family. A lesser man wouldn't have done that.
For the children not to have blamed you shows maturity on their part as well.
Despite everything all turned out to be good.
Bob.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

@rinehart0050
Thank you very much . To my great joy , both of Hiram’s children have grown up to become avid hunters . I consider that to be a great personal accomplishment.

@Professor Malwa
It is with great joy that Hirams children grew up to become avid hunters.
Have they accompanied you on a shikar. That would be an absolute delight.
Bob