Yes folks, thatis ` the tiger and the unicorn.' I will explain. I have a report of a tiger in Hong Kong from the end of the 1920s, which on the face of it is a straightforward tiger report, but read carefully!
I found this report in an online newspaper archive that is part of the Hong Kong Central Library Multmedia Information System network. (1) It has proved very useful in finding information on some of the more usual aspects of Hong Kong`s fauna, which will be found in Jon and my book The Mystery Animals of Hong Kong in a few years time. The report, dated December 31st 1929, is below, at the end of which I will explain why I asked you to read carefully. It seems the early 1930s were the heyday of tiger reports in Hong Kong, petering off till the mid 1960s.
TIGER REPORTED
COW MAULED IN THE NEW TERRITORIES
Enquiries made at Police Headquarters last night for confirmation of a Report that a tiger had made its appearance at Fung Yuen Village, Taipo, and Attacked a cow which died from loss of blood after the tiger had been frightened awayresulted (?) in a statement To the effect that a cow had been attacked by the some animal, but it was not known If the tiger as no one saw it. No official report was available as Police Stations had not been circularised.
The story goes that a woman saw an animal which she took to be a tiger attack a cow which was grazing about two miles outside this village In her fright she screamed, frightening the animal, which ran away up a nearby hill. Sargt Tuckett and a party of police visited the spot and found five-clawed paw marks on the dying cow`s shoulders, these measuring six and a half inches across, and pointing to the beast being most probably a tiger. The Police cast round in the hope of finding some sort of spoor, but without success as the ground in the vicinity is hard.
In 1915 a tiger was shot in the New Territories, this being the only actual case on record and it caused the death of Sargt Groucher and two Indian constables before it was killed. Since then there have been several reports of
Tigers been seen.
If a tiger is, in fact, at large, it has probably been driven from the hills further inland by the recent cold weather. (2)
What I wanted you to notice is this: the feature of these tiger incidents in the part of Hong Kong known as the New Territories, which became a part of Britain from China in 1898, is the fact that even in this case, after Britain had owned the New Territories for over 30 years there was still the unwritten question, 'is this really a tiger?' This has happened more than once. Was this because the colonial authorities were dense? Or was it because of leopard reports? It raises the interesting possibility of other long-lost animals being responsible.
Now, the unicorn. Here is a poem I wrote about 6 months ago:
T H E U N I C O R N
Dedicated to Jon and Corinna
I can see something coming out of the mist,
Indistinct, clothed in a white coat,
Walking now.
A primeval shape adored by mediaeval maids,
Never ridden by woman or child,
Proud,delicate,sure.
Now, what quest are you on-
Do hunters stalk you still, as you step out of time?
A demigoddess of vegetarian persuasion, and medicinal horn,
Now captured by fervent bearded cryptozoologists
And amateur mystics, in the pages of a
Book found in the dusty,cobwebbed corner of an attic.
1. http://hkclweb.hkpl.gov.hk/hkclr2/internet/eng/html/welcome.html
2. The Hong Kong Telegraph December 31st 1929
DEVO Blockhead
Never leaves a gap
Unfilled
Always pays on time
Always fits the bill
He comes well prepared
Cube top
Squared off
Eight corners
90 degree angles
Flat top
Stares straight ahead
Stock parts
Blockhead
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