Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1851-08-13
ADVENTURE WITH A TIGER.


crOix, a Missionary ut Calcutta:
Bees are very numerous in India; but they ar,
not kept there as they are here, in hives; TO
they store up their honey in hollow trees in tn,
forests and jungles. But although it is Difficult
to enter these wooded places, and those who d.
SO are in great danger from serpents and savage
beasts, there are many poor men who get thei
living by gathering and selling the wild honey
his letter, four of these men, and boy clever
years old, went from one of the stations of thu
London Missionary Society, for this purpose
They got into boat and rowed into an inlet O
river, where the banks on both sides were
grown over with high trees and thick shrubs
which formed part of what is called in India
jungle. When they came to the place where
they intended to land, the men jumped on shore
and left the boy to take care of the boat while
they were gone after the honey. AS the tide
was running then out of the creek in little
while the boat was left dry upon bank Of deep
mud. The sun was hot and the place was very
silent the boy sat quietly in the boat, looking
about him and wishing that the men would come
back when 10! all at once the fellow stared
and started as he saw a very large tiger stand.
ing upon the bank just above the boat, looking
upon him with great glazing eyes! You may
fancy how he felt as he beheld the savage beast
first fix his fierce look upon him and then
crouch and crawl along the ground, preparing
to spring and make him his prey.
The boy was very much frightened, as you
may suppose, but he had his wits about him,
and therefore without losing moment, he crept
under the deck of the boat, for fortunately the
boat had deck. But no sooner had he entered
his hiding place, than down came the tiger at
one great leap; and such was the force with
which he sprang; that one of his legs went
right through the deck, and got jammed in be-
tween the planks, just over the place where the
boy lay.
Without loss of time and with wonderful pres
ence of mind, the little fellow snatched hold of
a rope that was laying beside him, and twisting
it quickly around the tigers leg, he tied it firm
and held it fast. Not understanding this treat
ment, and having never been trained like dog,
to give paw to boy or man, the ferocious crea-
ture groaned and tugged, and tried in everyway
to get his leg out; but the boy knew we'll that
the only chance of saving his life was to keep
the rope firm, and therefore he held it as fast as
he could. After twisting and turning and pull
ing for long time, without getting away from
the boy, the tiger was quite cowed, and laid him
self quietly down upon the deck. No you may
suppose how the poor boy must have felt, as he
peeped up through the broken deck, and saw
the red eyes and the great jaws of the fierce
monster,
But at last, the honey gatherers, having finish
ed their work in the Jungle made their appear
ance on the bank. Seeing the tiger lying upon
the deck of the boat, they at once concluded
that he had killed and gobbled up the boy, and
that he was now getting quiet nap after his
dinner. They therefore raised a great shout
which so frightened the beast that he made one
more desperate tug; and rs the boy this time
was not quite so watchful as he had been before
the tiger jerked out his leg from the hole and
leaped clean off the boat. Fortunately he Jump
ed right into the deep mud; and as he was
laundering about and trying to get out of il,
the four men rushed down upon him, and with
great sticks which they happened to have in
their hands they labored away with all their
might at his head till they first stunned and then
killed him.
How glad they were when they saw the boy,
who they thought had been killed and eaten by
the tiger, quietly creeping out from under the
deck, safe and sound, you may easily suppose;
for he was the son of one of the men and neph-
ew of another.
In closing this account, Mr.. Lacroix observes:
Young people, what an excellent thing is pres
ence of mind, especially in time of danger -
With it many have saved their own lives, or the
lives of others; and if such presence of mind
was found in heather child, how much more
should Christian people, young and old, have of
it, who, when in danger, have kind Father and
a faithful God to look to; God who watches
over them, and who, if they put their trust in
Him, will never leave, never forsake them!