The Cave Tiger of China

"Smith may have been America's greatest tiger hunter." -Ohmy News, April 18, 2007

"When I first learned the truth about the Chinese tigers, that they were all man-eaters and lived in caves, nothing could hold me at home," writes Dr. William Lord Smith in describing what compelled him to go tiger hunting in Amoy, in southeastern Fujian province, China, beside the Taiwan Strait.

Smith wrote an exciting and harrowing account of his cave-tiger hunt in China in the September 1920 issue of Scribner's. [Scribner's Magazine, Vol. LXVIII, No. 3, p. 355 September, 1920] It is this 15-page article that has been reprinted here for the convenience of the interested reader.

In describing his first view of the Chinese cave tiger, Smith writes:
"For a second he held me fascinated. He was splendidhis big bulk tense in anger; his deep flanks scarcely moving under their black stripes; his long tail switching with indecision. With snarling mouth he challenged me..."

Prior to this hunting trip, Smith had wide experience in hunting big game, particularly tigers, which he hunted in India, Persia, Corea, China, and Java. For example, n 1902, Smith killed three large tigers near Mokpo in the southern part of Korea in November 1902.

As an avid big-game hunter and adventurer Smith had earlier made an extensive trip, first to Somaliland and British East Africa, then from Alaska down through Korea, China, Java, and Persia. He then returned to Zermatt, and climbed several of the highest peaks in Switzerland, among them the Matterhorn, Weisshorn, and Dent-Blanche.

About the author:

After Dr. William Lord Smith (1863-1946) was graduated from Harvard, he studied medicine at the Medical School, receiving his degree in 1892. He then spent two years abroad, in Vienna and in Berlin. During this time he made several hunting expeditions after big game, not only for the shooting, but also for the purpose of studying the life-history of the animals, and the principles of protective coloration. Shortly thereafter Dr. Smith made his big game hunting trips abroad.

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