Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1846-04-18
]"FiGu1lNG THE TIGER
ny THUNDER.

Having n ltttEc leisure Nv" NJ NY CoHF
tuand, during the summer Of ls43, / con-
chtdcd to follow the general current oftrav,
Fl which had "scto towards the Hot
SPRING., In Arkansas, and visit that point
in order that ] might yet 4 sight" oftbis
wonderful freak Of natures great laborato-
rvi 10 this end | made the requisite ar
engagements, aud in due time was formal
" introduced to q scene combining more
oft1,e grand, beautiful and Sublime; than
had ever before been my lot TO witnessI
And now VIC will turn to the immediate
object In writing this sketch, which is to
enibddf 4 "far M th8t tdnie VI MY edt5
during this visit, as well rs TO give tangi-
bility and shape to an incident in the hdh.
ler's life, the recital Of which had well
nigh made. .! .a
""rhe knotted and combined bcks 70 part.
And each particu ar hair TO stand on end"
Every one who has visited the point in
question will recognize the many log-shan.
ties which are sprinkied along the Valley
silent and tsnantless III #inttr but rcdo'
lent with life and spirit IN. suinEnhr.
One evening towards twilight Tin Coin;
pany with several friends) we had gather
Cd around the doors Of one of the sbdnties
iia ftHrfhd VI, bud listeHBd will delighted
ear and excited brain 10 the many marvel
lo1s stories which the natives were unra.
Yelling
During the relation Of one of their sto.
ries, We were started by a scpulchral voice
behind fs excIaiding, thatthe party vas
telling "ah-ll Of a yarn pat which we
turned, and behold d creature SO much
like the celebrated sage Of "Slecpy Hol.
low" that we could scarcely suppress iii
belief that he must have sat for Irving
bright ~portratture ofthat rcdoutable person.
aye. So very like, indeed, was he to the
venerable drip" that We were more than
once tempted to look arodnd for the rristcd
remnant Of his gun-the "iucahhoiiiznl
bones of his dog'-the schorched and
| e~.eatherbeaten 'spouch" in which he vas
wont hi days Of yore TO keep bis elements
| Of death. But we were not permitted long
10 remain in doubt for, with a spring, he
rose from the counter on which he bad
been reclining, and repeated his assertion
that seThat was d h--ll ola lie J" Tht
crowd greeted him with a around Of ap
~plansc,o which soon satisfied us that h
was Ito use a ~proyinciaIism Of that region
"a big toad in that puddle" The rcqries
was general that he should spin a yarn al
so-.a request to which b ready assent va
granted, after a proposition for d .'gener
II treat.' had been swallowed. His stor,
ran somewhat thus /; 'Did any Il eve
hear Of my sighting the tiger, 4 rear 0
two ago in Alabama 7 Han5 5ne hash
heard that story, he'd better plaster hi
hair ID his head, and SOW his coat to hi
skill : for cusS ME if IL isn't enough
fighten 4 man out Of bis senses.
We'll Sone time long in the month (
Jdly, Sal came 10 me one day, and say
she to me-saYs she--Joe,--I want som
bar.meat, ahd | guess that you had bette
Cit right out and get me some. Now
r YOU must recollect, ~fellers, that Sal wa
softer sick about that time, and used t
take the darned crankest Find Of notion
in her head that ever I heard of. But
however, | slung odd Belly over m
shoulder, and sat ont IN null chase afie
the only bear that we had heard Of IN TIA
neck Of the woods during the sumulcr.
long, and a hof, and a wearisontc tramp
had but E1ck was with me, and | fnall
brought aoh Belly sto a level on hin
and lus. laid him out as slick as ever 70
saw a coon chouse a dog Little time e
lapsed before he was regularly c@leanset
while | made d break for home, as | wa
tired, hot and hungry. The tramp was
long one the load none Of the lightes
and I soon grew faint and sick under Ii
heat Of the sun. Casting about for a spt