Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-05-20


provng abortve, served only to Increase his wrath
He utiereda Tremendous heart-piereiny howl and hi
flaming eyes darted light into the darkness of our re
treat.
Nov lie the timcto fire at him, said Wharton. will
ms usual canness; lain at his eyes the ball will q
thfousn ms brain, aud we shall then have chanc
TO get rid Of him."
Frank seized his double barrellcd gun and Lincoln
ms pistols, the former placed the muzze within few
inches OF the tiger, and Lincoln did the same. A
Wharton's command they both drew the triggers q
the same moment, but no shot followed. The tiger
who seemed aware that the flash indicated an attac,
upon HIM, sprang growing from the entrance: but
teelinS himself unhurt, cdlately turned back aga
and stationed himself in his formci place. The ow
der IN botI pieces was wet; they therefore pro
ceeded to draw the useless loading whilst Whartol
and myself hastcncd 10 seek our poW,ler-l,sk u wa
an extremely dark, that we were Obliged to urop,
about the cave; and, at last, coming in contact will
the cubs we heard rustliSP noise as if they were
playing with some metal substance which we soor
discovered was the canister looking Tor. Mos
unfortunately, however, the animals had pushed ch,
d Win their claws, and the powder had been strcwct
nver the damp EARTH and rendered entirely useless
nation.
''Ali is now over, said Wharton. 1--WE have only
now to choose whether we shall die of hunger, toge
,her WITH these animals who shu, up along with ne
or open the entrance the blood thirsty monster with
out, aud so make quckcr end OF the matter"
30 saying, he placed himself close beside the stone
which for the moment defended us, and looked I'M
dauntedly upon the lightning eyes of the tiger. Lin
coin raved anil svro. - and Eran, to,k n nicce nj
strong cord from his pocket, and fastened 70 the m
thcr end ~ the cavei knew not with what DESIGN
! We soon however heard low stii.d groauinc; and
the tiger, vino had heard 1t also became more restless
aud disturbed than ever! Uc went backwards and
forwards before the entrance OF the cave in the most
wpt and npctuuus manner, then stood ST II, aai
stretching ou his neck III the direction Of the forest
broke forth into dcacning howl. Our two Indian
guides took advantage ofthis oppurtunlty 10 DISCHARGE
tlo f-an 10
tDan once but The light weapons undcd back Harmless.
from his thick skin At length however one OF then,
struck hln near the eye, and the arrow remained
sticking N IRE wound. lie now brot, anew into
The widest fury sprang at the tree and tore it with
his CLAWS. as 1.-THE would have dragged it 10 the
ground. But having at length succeeded in getting
r'G Of the arrow he became more calm, aud laid b,-
{ sell down as before in front CT the cav.
Frank now returned from the lower end of tho 1cr
ana E,''ihca c3wt1 Us what lie mad been doing In
each hand, and dangling from the end of a string
were the two cubs. He had straneled them; and be-,
lore VIC were aware what he intended, he threw then,
ithrough the opening 70 the tiger. No sooner did ;ha
animal per.eive them than he gazcd earnestly upon
them, and began to examine them closely, turning
them cautiously from side TO side As soon as he be-
came aware that :ney dead, lie uttered so pierc
ing howl of SORROW, that we were obliged to put
our hands to our ears. When Iupbraided my hunts
man tor the cruel action he had rashly committed
l perceived by his blunt All abrunt answers that
he also had lost all hope Of rescue from our nnpen-
!
ties between master and servant were dissolved For
my own part without knowing why, [ could not hep
believing that some unexpected assistance would vet
rescue us from so horrible fate. Alas! little anti
cipated the sacrifice that my rescue was to cost
/ The thunder had now ceased, md the storm had
sunk to gentle gale; the songs of birds were again
neard IN the neghboring forest, and the sunbraU.s
sparklcdi in the drops that hung from the leaves We
saw through the aperture how all nature was rcvying
after the Wild war of elements which had so recently
taken place; but the contrast only nada our stun ion
! The more horrible We were in a grave from which
| there no deverance; ard 7 monster worse than
the tabled Cer5erus, kept watch over US. The tiger
had laid himself down beside his whelps. He was
beautiful animal, OF great size and strength and his
limbs being stretched out at their full length dis
played his immense power OF muscle. double row
of great teeth stood far enough apart to show his
large red tongue from which the white foam lul! in
large drops. All at another roar was hoard a.
distance, and the tiger Immediately rose and an
srvcrcd II with mrirnf howl. At the sane in
stant our Indian uttered g!lrick, which anno,I.cca
that some new danger threatened Us. few 10
men's confined wors. fears, Coz another ,rcr
not Gaite SO large the former, came rapidly towards
The $40, where VIC were.
''Ihs enemy Will p.ovo more cruel than flo nj ,.
said " Aarton FOR THIS IS the female and she knows
no pity for those who deprive her OF lie. yourg"
The bowls which the ugress gave, when sac Ind
examined tho bodies of her cubs, surpassed evc-v
thing Of horrible that we had yet heard; and the trer
mingled his nournful cries with here. Suddenly
her roaring was lowered to Q h0arse growing and
yye saw her anxousiy stretch out her head extend
her wide and smoking nostri's, and look as if she
we're deteTminedto discover Immediately tho mardo-
rers Of her young. Her eyes quickly fell upon cs.
and she made n spring forward with tie intention o
penetrating to our place Of refuge. Perhaps she
might have been enabled, By her immense s.fcrc,a
tn push away the stone. Ind We not, with an our
united power, held il against her. When she found
that all her efforts f-uitlcse she opproacicl lie
tiger, who lay stretched beside his cubs and he r9sc
and Joined in her hoNoV roarings. They stool TO-.
gothcr Tor few momor'r. - if N coDeuia;ou.and
then suddenly went Of - rapid pace, and Dis
appeared from our sight. Their bowling died away
in the distance, end thon entirely ceased We nov
began 10 entertain better hopes Of our condition; bu,
Wharton shook his head DO no. la,ter yourselves
said ho, "with tho bcliectlia these animals v.Nhf
rs escape out Of their sight tail thcv have had their
rcgeng" The hou.s We have 20 h-c arc mum
bcrcd."
. Nevertheless there ~ appeared a cu1rce ofo9r
rcsclc for 20 orr surprise. saw both org Indians
stauduv before the ~ltr1rce and iaarI Ion, ,. ~.