The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1843-05-31

500 SoHh " q SOhtic gaze , tue songs
OF the birds were again heard in the neigh
boring forest and the sun beam sparkled in
the drops that hung from the leaves.
4 We saw through the aperture how all ma
ture was revying after the wild war of ele
ments which had so recently taken place
but the contrast only made our situation
the more horrible. We were in a grave
from which there was no deliverance; and
monster worse than the tabled Cerberus
kept watch over us. The tiger had laid
himself down beside his whelps. He was a
beautiful animal, of great size and strength,
and his limbs being stretched out their full
length. displayed his immense power Of
muscle. A double row of great teeth stood
far enough apart to show his large red
tongue, from which the white foam fell in
large drops. All at once another roar was
heard at distance, and the tiger immedi-
ately rose and answered it with mournful
howl. At the same instant our Indians ut
tered shrek, which announced that some
new danger threatened us. A few mo-
ments confirmed our worst fears, for aDoth-
er tiger, not quite so large as the former,
came rapidly towards the spot where we
were.
"Ths enemy will prove more cruel than
the former" said Wharton; " for this is
the female, and she knows no pity for those
who deprive her of her young"
The howls which the tigress gave when
she examined the bodies of her cubs, sur
passed every thing horrible that we had yet
heard and the tiger mingled his mournful
cries with hers. Suddenly her roaring
was lowered to hoarse growing, and we
saw her stretch out her head, extending her
wide and smoking nostrils. and look as if
she were determined TO destroy Immediate
ly the murderer of her young. Her eyes
quickly fell upon US, and she made spring
forward with the intention of penetrating
to our place of refuge. Perhaps she might
have been able by her immense strength,
to push away the stone. had we not, with
all our united power, held it against her. -
When she found that all her efforts were
fruitless. she approached the tiger who lay
stretched out beside his cubs, and he rose
and joined in her hollow roaring. They
stood together for few moments as if in
consultation. and then suddenly went off at
rapid pace and disappeared from our
sight. The bowling died away in the dis
lance, and then entirely ceased. We be-
gan now TO entertain better hopes Of our
condition; but Wharton shook his head
"Do not fatter yourselves" said he, "with
the belief that these animals will let you
escape out of their sight till they have had
thaIr Tho hourv haua fn live
are numbered.
Nevertheless, there still appeared chance
for our rescue, for TO our surprise we saw
both of our Indians standing before the en-
trance, and heard them call to US to seize
the only possibility of our yet saving our
selves by instant flight, for the tigers had
only gone round the height to seek another
inlet to the cave with which they were no
doubt acquainted. In the greatest haste
the stone was pushed aside, and we STEP
ped forth from what we had considered
living grave. Wharton was the last who
left it; he was unwilling to lose his double
barrelled gun, and stopped TO take it up:
the rest of us thought only of making our
escape. We now heard once more the
roarings of the tigers though at distance
and following the example of our guides,
we precipitately struck into a side. PATH
From the number of roots and the branches
of the trees with which the storm had
strewed our way, and the slipperiness Of
the road, our flight was slow and difficult,
Wharton, though an active seaman, had a
heavy step, and had great difficulty in kee-
ping pace with US, and we were obliged to
slacken our own on his account.
We had proceeded thus about quarter
of an hour when we found that our way
led along the edge Of rocky cliff, with in.
Vulnerable assures. We had just entered
upon it when suddenly the Indians, who
were before US, uttered piercing shrek,
and we Immediately became aware that the
tigers were in pursuit of us. Urged by
despair we rushed towards one of the brakes,
or CULTS, in our way. over which was thrown
a bridge of reads, that sprang up and down
at every step, and could be trod with safe
ty by the light foot of the Indian alone
Deep in the hollow below rushed an impet-
uous stream, and thousand pointed and
jagged rocks threatened destruction on ev-
cry side. Lincoln, my huntsman, and N.Y.
self, passed over the chasm safe, but Whar-
ton was still IN the middle of the waving
bridge, and endeavouring to steady himself,
when both the tigers were seen to issue
from the adjoining forest ; and the moment
they deserted US, they bounded toward us
with dreadful roaring. Meanwhile, Whar-
ton had nearly gained the safe side ofthe
gulf, and we were all clambering up the
rocky cliff except Lincoln, who remained
at the reedy bridge to assist his friend to
step upon firm ground. Wharton, though
the ferocious animals were close upon him.
never lost his courage or presence of mind.
As soon as he had gained the edge of the
cliff, he knelt down and with his sword di-
vided the fastenings by which the bridge
was attached to the rock. He expected
that an effectual barrier would be put to
the further progress of our pursuers; but he
was mistaken /; for he had scarcely accom-
plished his task when the tigress, without
a moments pause, rushed towards the
chasm, and attempted to bound over it. 1t