The Sun.
London, England, 1860-10-15 00:00:00

2.11.10'
16

LITERATURE.

A Crutee in the
Edited by-Path:. By a Naval Officer.
Captaj Fenton Aylmer. Hurst and
Blacket.
The reader is in doubt, while perusing these
r
pages,: whether he has truth
fiction before
him ; that is to say whether the author's
cruise was on salt water or in thetherealmsth of
fancy. As neither the name of
or ship are given, one would lean to the lattearuconor-
elusion; but on the other hand, the clever and de-
tailed description given of most of the islands and
ports in the Pacific would seem to indicate a per-
sonal inspection by the author; in either case, the
result is the same, and we have before us an inte-
resting account of San Francisco, Rio de Janeiro,
Buenos Ayres, Valparaiso, Otaheita, and the Sand-
wich Islands, and many other places. The perso-
nal adventures are amusing, and the author does
not fear to acknowledge his uncomfortable senst-
tions when out tiger, or more properly, jaguar
hunting in the pampas of South America.
• TIGER RUNT.
" Where is the tiger," demanded Franks.
" There, senhor ' • he is a very devil, and has killed two
xsenand a hundred cows."

" Well, well, kill him. Lead the way."
The tiger hunters having meantime made their own in-
quiries took the front rank, each holding a couple of hunt-
ing dogs in a leash. We Englishmen, rifle in hand, rode
after, while the Guarhos followed. Down into the valley
we [scrambled, where, among the rank reeds forming the
bed of a half-dry stream, the tiger was lying. Just as we
reached the thickset the dogs were unloosed, and dashed in
with a chorus of yells, and I, grasping my rifle, felt half-
afraid, and began imagining what my friends would think
if I were slain by a tiger. I had not much time for relleo-
tion ; a roar, that thrilled through every pulse of my body,
drowned the voice of men and dogs. My horse wheeled like
lightning, unseating me,';and down I came head foremost,
my rifle going off as I fell. I had one glance of the tiger
close beside me, and the reader may believe I was soon on
my legs again, expecting every moment to be in his grip,
to my intense relief he was gone. Frank hailed me with
a cheer, " Well done, Fritz, you've done what you can
boast of—jumped a tiger in his spring, but follow up, here's
my rifle, you will get a shot at him yet, I'll take
yours and load." I did not stay to ask questions
then, my blood was up, my proximity to the brute
had banished fear ; he was evidently running away
too, so xty courage rose in proportion. The hunters
wore close together at one side of a very thick bush,
waiting the breaking of the tiger, a proceeding both the
Guarhos and dogs were endeavouring to effect, but whether he
considered it unwise to charge the mob, then a little party
of trained men, or whether it was accidental, I cannot say ;
however, he suddenly bounded out in the opposite direction
' to where we stood, dashed straight through the mob, and
seizing a man in his teeth, got into the nearest thicket
before he could be stopped. Quick as lightning a couple of
hunters and dogs, stationed at that side, were at his heels,
and, encumbere as he was, almost immediately closed with
him, one of the men dashing up and burying his long knife
in his side. The tiger turned round like a shot, dropping
the body as he did so, and then followed the mist wonder-
ful feat I ever saw or heard of. The man was carried off,
though much hurt, and with a broken leg, perfectly con -
scious ; he had never let go his knife, and as the beast let
him fall and turned away, the long blade gleamed in the
air, and sunk quivering into the very heart of the tiger.
Without a struggle ho rolled heavily ever, the blood gush-
ing from his mouth and nostrils, while the gallant fellow
who had given the death-blow rose on one arm, and then
fell fainting upon the body."

The author sometimes overshoots the mark, and it
requires an exertion of credulity on the part of the
reader to believe all that is related; but this is
generally not his personal experience, but what has
been related to him by others, for the truth of
which he does not hold himself responsible. Ahain
some of his quotations from the writings of others
are well selected.