Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1845-10-31

these efforts proving abortive, served only
10 increase hrs wrath. He uttered a ire
mendous, heart-piercing howl, and his fla
ming eyes darted light into the darkness
of our retreat.
Nov is the time 10 fire at him. said
Wharton with bis usual calmness; 'aim at
his eyes-the ball will 60 through his brain,
and we shall then have a chance TO get rid
! of him runaae.
Frank seized his double barrelled gun,
and Lincoln his pistols-the former placed
the muzzle within few inches of the IL
ger, and Lincoln did the same. At Whar
toms command they both drew their trig-
gers at the same moment, but no shot fol-
lowed. The tiger, who seemedaware that
the flash indicated an attack upon him,
sprang growing from the entrance; but,
upon feeling himself unhurt, Immediately
turned back again, and stationed himself in
his former place. The powder in both
pieces was wet, they therefore proceeded
to draw the useless loading. whilst Whar-
ton and myself hastened to seek our pow
we were obliged to grope about the cave;
and at last, coming in contact with the
cubs, we heard rustling noise, as If they
were playing with some metal substance,
which we soon discovered was the CAMS
ter we were looking for. Most unlortu-
nately, however, the animals had pushed
off the lid with their claws, and the pow
der had been strewed over the damp earth,
and rendered entirely useless. This hor-
ribIe discovery excited the greatest con
steriIat;On.
All is now over said Wharton. I'VE
have only now to choose whether we shall
die Of hunger, together with these animals
who are shut up along with us, or open
without, and to make quicker end of the
5 matter
So saying, he placed himself close be-
; side the stone, which, for a moment, de-
Tended us, and looked undauntedly upon
lhe lightning eyes OF the tiger. Lincoln
raved and swore, and Frank took a piece
Of strong cord from his pocket, ard hasten
= ed to the farther end Of the caye-l knew
S not with what design. We soon, howev-
! cr, heard a low, stiGed groanirg, and the
, tiger, who had heard il also, became more
D restless and disturbed than ever! He went
! backwards and forwards before the entrance
of The cave, in the most wild and impetu-
= Gus manner, then stood still, and stretch
III h IN, NO +, Of fl
Y rest, broke forth into a deatening howl.
., Our tv O Indian guides took advantage OF
+ ibis opportunity, to discharge several ar,
e rows from the tree. lie was struck more
+ than once, but the light weapons bounded
= back harmless from his thick skin. A
e length, however, one Of them struck him
y near the eye, and the arrow remained stick
d ing in the wound. He now broke anew
v into the widest fury, sprang at the tree
l. and tore it with his claws as ii he woult
e have dragged it to the ground. But hav
( ing at length succeeded i'll getting rid 0
d the arrow, he became more calm, and lalt
al himself down as before in front of the cave
a Frank now returned from the lower en'
y of the den. and glance showed US VIVA
S. he had been doing. In each hand, an'
g dangling from the end of a string, were tn
ID Two cubs. He had strang!ed them an'
- before we were aware what he intended
D, he threw them through the opening to th
- tiger. No sooner did the animal percev
le them than he gazed earnestly upon them
and began to observe them closely, turn
10 ing them cautiously from side to side. A
$, soon as he became aware that they wer
,e dead, he uttered so piercing howl of sol
y, row, that we were obliged to put our hand
I'd to our ears. When Iupbraided my hunts
n. man for the cruel action he had SO rashl
committed, perceived by his blunt an
ID abrupt answers that he also had lost a
or hope of rescue from our impending fate
" and that, under these circumstances, th
ed ties between master and servant were dl:
he solved. For my own part, without know
k ing why, could not help believing thi
n some unexpected assistance would yet re:
ar cue US from so horrible fate. Alas
o. little anticipated the sacrifice that my re-
ly cue was to cost.
al. The thunder had now ceased, and tn
it storm had sunk to gentle gaIe-the song
,ct of the birds were again heard in the nelgf
Id boring forest-and the sun beams sparkle
DIS in the drops that hung from the leaves. "
ep saw through the aperture how all nalul
AT was reviving after the wild war of elemen
re which had so recently taken place; b.
he the contrast only made our situation Il
O. more horrible. We were in grave fro
Oh which there was no dellverance, and
CHI monster, worse than the tabled Cerberu
nj kept watch over US. The tiger had la