of a few
miles almost simultaneously and so mysterious were its movements that the
Chinese declared it was a spirit of the devil. After several unsuccessful
hunts Mr. Caldwell finally saw the tiger at close range but as he was armed
with only a shotgun it would have been useless to shoot.

His second view of the beast was a few weeks later and in the same place. I
will give the story in his own words:

"I selected a spot upon a hill-top and cleared away the grass and ferns
with a jack-knife for a place to tie the goat. I concealed myself in the
bushes ten feet away to await the attack, but the unexpected happened and
the tiger approached from the rear.

"When I first saw the beast he was moving stealthily along a little trail
just across a shallow ravine. I supposed, of course, that he was trying to
locate the goat which was bleating loudly, but to my horror I saw that he
was creeping upon two boys who had entered the ravine to cut grass. The
huge brute moved along lizard-fashion for a few yards and then cautiously
lifted his head above the grass. He was within easy springing distance when
I raised my rifle, but instantly I realized that if I wounded the animal
the boys would certainly meet a horrible death.

"Tigers are usually afraid of the human voice so instead of firing I
stepped from the bushes, yelling and waving my arms. The huge cat, crouched
for a spring, drew back, wavered uncertainly for a moment, and then slowly
slipped away into the grass. The boys were saved but I had lost the
opportunity I had sought for over a year.

"However, I had again seen the animal about which so many strange tales had
been told. The markings of the beast are strikingly beautiful. The ground
color is of a delicate shade of maltese, changing into light gray-blue on
the underparts. The stripes are well defined and like those of the ordinary
yellow tiger."

Before I left New York Mr. Caldwell had written me repeatedly urging me to
stop at Futsing on the way to Yuen-nan to try with him for the blue tiger
which was still in the neighborhood. I was decidedly skeptical as to its
being a distinct species, but nevertheless it was a most interesting animal
and would certainly be well worth getting.

I believed then, and my opinion has since been strengthened, that it is a
partially melanistic phase of the ordinary yellow tiger. Black leopards are
common in India and the Malay Peninsula and as only a single individual of
the blue tige