Big medicine for bad cats.
The Jeffery .450-400 Nitro double rifle with which Jim Corbett put out the lights of something like 33 man-eating tiger or leopard in India early in the 20th Century sold at auction last month for a whopping $264,500.
The rifle had been in the collection of another legendary gun-man, the late Elmer Keith.
The Jeffery, made in 1909, was powerful medicine for dangerous predators: Two quick shots with a cartridge that would put its target down. While it is hard not to feel a twinge of regret at the death of these magnificent cats — especially now that the tigers are so threatened by loss of habitat — it needs bearing in mind that these maneaters were a natural catastrophe for Indian villagers. The cats Corbett slew were responsible for 1,200 or more killings. The Champawat Tiger alone killed 436 villagers. Corbett got him in 1907 before he acquired the Jeffery, using a .500 double rifle using “modified cordite” in what had been a black-powder firearm.
There’s a nice piece on Corbett’s several rifles here.
Corbett was the finest kind of English gentleman hunter: Brave, resourceful; a sensitive naturalist and a lovely writer — and a hero. I can see why someone would pay big bucks for the rifle with which he took a hero’s most fundamental part — slaying monsters.
That rifle has mucho mojo.
John Seerey-Lester depicted one of Jim Corbett’s nerve-straining hunts.
john maddox roberts says
We must also keep in mind that the very fact that these cats were maneaters means that they were elderly or crippled beasts. Lacking human prey, they would have starved. Who would eat a wretched villager if he could have caught a toothsome gazelle or buffalo?
Euan says
Because human prey are slow and easy prey
Randy Owens says
Hey John, problem is that they couldn’t catch their regular prey any longer due to exactly what you said. Many injury’s were festering porcupine quill wounds, old badly placed gun shots, broken teeth, and rather than starve went after human’s.
Anonymous says
According to corbett himself not all manesters were old and weak. They were forced by circumstance (ie. Lack of prey ) to turn into maneaters. Additionaly humans were easier prey compared to deer or boar, and put up less of a fight to save their lives. This was a time when human tiger conflicts were on the rise bringing them closer to each other making the large predators feel threatened and more likely to attack.
Lane Batot says
Although the elderly/crippled excuse for man-eating with big cats(and other predators) IS correct regarding some individuals in some situations–and MOST of the cats Corbett was called in to kill were of these categories–there are far too many other instances where man-eaters were perfectly healthy young animals that simply learned–by being taught by their mothers, or on their own, that people are good, easy meat! Even when other prey was available, including almost as easy to kill domestic stock, some individual man-eaters CHOSE to consistently target and eat people–even when getting people was actually harder for them! And many have commented how sleek and fat such man-eaters often were, from their mostly-human diet! So it just depends….Certainly it is not the majority of most predators–I think we act and look too weird to do anything but alarm most wild animals! But there will always be exceptions….
Lt. Eric Sewell USA Ret says
Correct. During the Vietnam war it was realized that Bengal tigers had deceloped a taste for human flesh due to the viet cong dead bodies left to rot after clashes with US troops. These tigers would follow US troops knowing that gunfire was a dinner bell.
Rick Stubblefield says
My personal love of reading began as a 10-yr. old boy reading Man Eaters of Kumaon lying on a wood floor during summer days. I have over the years bought many copies and handed them out to young men and friends. While Corbett wrote that he lacked the ability to “paint word pictures”, anyone who has read his works knows otherwise. His writing preserved for all time the daily routines and lifestyles of the villagers that he spent so much time and effort to protect. While his hunts for man-eaters were a tremendous gift to the villagers of Kumaon, his decision to pass on the stories of those hunts in his later years have been and will continue to be a wonderful gift to all outdoorsmen the world over. I was not aware the 450/400 was in the Elmer Keith collection, but upon reflection I am not surprised.
JimC says
Thanks for stopping by Rick. You’re right: Corbett’s books are a wonderful gift to all of us. He was really one of the good guys.
william says
I wonder if Jim Shockey has any of Jim corbetts guns in His collection..
JimC says
I’ve been following Shockey lately. Impressive guy. Maybe you could ask him on Facebook — he is relatively active.
Alan Ciavarelli says
I’ve read all of Jim Corbett’s books and many books by other authors about him.This man had balls like no other- death just around the corner was something natural to him. Master woodsman – Master of firearms – reminds me of Carlos Hathcock the Marine sniper. I can see why his gun went for so much money he’s a freaking legend
JimC says
One of my very favorite hunter-heroes. A fine man in every respect.
Michael says
He was amazing. He did not kill for the sake of killing, but killed these maneaters because of the toll they were taking on helpless villagers. The real amazing thing is he looks like an English professor, not the fearless hunter he was. Hunting these animals was both dangerous and hair raising.
JP says
Well, that’s not quite true. Corbett tells of hunting tigers merely for the sport, the Bachelor of Powalgarth being an example.
Alan Ciavarelli says
And you also notice Jim Corbett did not have people drive him around everywhere he hiked for hundreds of miles taking in nature, breathing in the air and reading the sign of all the animals, birds and such. He was truly one with nature and it showed in his hunts . This was one of the reasons he he had such supreme confidence in himself… Old school – damn I think I’m going to read another one of his stories so I can get lost in the adventure of it all
Rammoy Ray says
John Seerey Lestor depicted Cobett’s hunting of the Chowghar man-eating tigress with the .275 Rigby Mauser.(Man-eaters of Kumaon).
ReeseC says
Have yet to read any Corbett, although I’d love to. After reading Peter Capstick’s chapter on him, my want has been strengthened. Any sugestions on which one to start first?
JimC says
I’d grab the Oxford Omnibus volumes — the first one has the most important works.
https://www.amazon.com/Jim-Corbett-Omnibus-Man-eaters-Rudraprayag/dp/0195627628/ref=sr_1_1/146-3025956-1447311?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1519348158&sr=1-1&keywords=9780195627626&dpID=51oTNAC1WxL&preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&dpSrc=srch
wally swurld says
Jim Corbett remains arguably the most famous, adored and emulated of all hunters. I have hunted for over sixty years through necessity and due to cultural upbringing. Volunteering for the draft in 1967, I am familiar with the jungle, its’ dangers and its’ beauty. I first read James Corbett as a young man and was inspired for the rest of my life. There is a hunting reserve named for him in Florida where I grew up. I did not know who he was when I first set foot on his preserve back in those days. The only dangerous game I fired on was in self defense, including 37 years in the military. As for the big cats, I had a panther scream in my face in the Florida panhandle and I allowed it to escape. I had a lioness roar in my face once at hand shaking distance and I can tell you that is something you will never forget. She allowed me to escape. I understand the fashionable fascination with tigers and the desire to protect the species; but I will always be thrilled with Corbett’s writings of a time when humans were on the big cats menu and the courage and hunting skill of a single man saved thousands of lives.
Thank you for creating this site.
JimC says
Thanks for stopping by the campfire Wally.
James Silver says
It’s not just Jim Corbett and his hunts, but the picture he draws of Colonial India at the foot of the Himalayas. Early 20th Century India under British rule was a fascinating and romantic place and era. Like Kenya and Tanzania in the day reading hunters’ encounters with man eating, dangerous wildlife in that era is fascinating!
Fernando Quevedo de Oliveira says
I read Maneaters of Kumaon for the first time when I was nine and Corbett after that turn out to be my hero forever. I was so gripped by the maneaters stories that since then I have a dream to visit Corbett places some day. In 2016 and 2018 I was fortunate enough to have the chance to visit almost all Corbett related places like Chuka, Thak, Kot Kendrithat he was a very brave man indeed!!! One place in particular, the spring at Thak village, where he spent nights on a Almond tree waiting for te Thak maneater, is really a scaring place even at daylight! Corbett legacy will live forever on the minds of people living on the places he has visited and also um the minds of millions admirers all over the world…, Champawat, Dalkanya, Tallas Des, Rudraprayag, Kanda, Mohan and many others. What a surprise when reaching all those villages, people still remembers Corbett, for sure by accounts tell by their fathers and grandfathers. Jim is a true legend in Kumaon even today. Looking at places where he spent nights on a machans waiting for maneaters you can notice
JimC says
This is fantastic. Thank you for sharing it.
Will Nelson says
I once took my mother to a zoo in Dallas one sunny day in the 1980’s. We had just walked away from the tiger enclosure and had our backs to it when a full-grown tiger decided to let out a full blown roar. My mother almost went into shock and there was no doubt in my mind that the tiger had gotten out of the enclosure and was right behind us. The volume was incredible and I thought I could feel his breath on my neck. I immediately remembered Jim Corbett’s books and his description of hearing a tiger roar at close range. I could only imagine hearing that in the wilds of India and coming from a maneater. It rattled me at the Dallas zoo. Yes, Jim Corbett was a man of nerves, dedication, and a lover of nature; a real man to be admired.
JimC says
Thanks for sharing that. I bet it hit right at the primal core. Nothing like knowing that you’ve suddenly slipped a rung or two down the food chain.