The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1854-08-16
MISCELLANEOUS.
THE TIGERS GAVE.
AN AovENrURE AMONG THE MOUNTAINS OF
H.'@ az QUITO. -


tinue.l to wind rouni Clilnborasson's wide
base but its snow crowned heal no lon
ger shone above us in clear brlIiancy, fol
u dense fog was gathering gradually
around it. Our guides booked anxiously
toward il and announced their apprehen
:sions of a violent Storm We soon found
that their fears were well founded. The
fog rapidly covered and obscured the whole
OF the mountain the atmosphere was
sufocating, and yet 60 humid that the
steel work of our watches WAS covered
with rust and tue watches stopped.
The river beside which we were travel,
ling rushed down with still greater inpe,.
uosity, and from the cIeits OF the rocks
which lay on the left Of our path, were
suddenly prccipitiItel small rivulets, that
bore the roots Of trees aud innumerab!e
serpents along with them. These rivuIets
often came down SO suddenly and violent
ly that We had great difficulty in preser.
wing our footing. The thunder ut length
began TO roll, aud resounded through tue
mountainous passes with the most terrific
grandeur. Then came thu vivid light,
ming flash following iiash-;,love, aroun l.,
beneath th-eyerymhrre n sea of fire. We
sought - iuomentary shelter in cleft Of
the rocks, whilst one of our guides hasten
ed forward to seek more secure asylum.
In n short time he returned, anil informed
us that lie hal discovered spacious cav
crn, which wo,ild afford Us sufficient pro-.
lection from the clemens. We proceed
ed ;hither Immediately, and, with gre:,l
difficulty, and not li,th danger, At last
got into it.
The noisa and raging Of The storm con.
inued with SO mach violence that wu
couid-not hear the sound Of our own
NoiceS hal placed myself near the ei,-
france OF the cave and could observe,
through the opening, which was straight
and narrow, the singular scene wih"nt.
Tie highest cedar trees were sirucs down
or bent like reeds monkeys anl parrots
lay strewcd upon the ground killed BY
the taliiug branches; the water had col
lected in tie path We had Just passed aud
hurried along it like a mountnn stream.
From everything ] saw thought it cx-
trcnely probably that we should be oblig.
cd to pass some days iu this cavern.
When the storm; however, had SONG
what abated, our guides venturcd out il,
or.ier to ascertain If IL was possible To cou-
tirue Our Journey. The cave in whicl,
we had taken reiuge was s., extremely
dar!; that If we moved lew PAGES fr m
the entrance we could not see an Inch le-
fore uS; and we We're debating as u the
propricty ofIeaving ii, even before The lu.
dians came back, when We suddenly
heard q singular groauing or growing in
the further end of tie cavern, which I'M
stanuy fixed all our attention. Wharton
and myself listened anxiously, bun our da.
ring and inconsiderate friend Lincoln, TO.
getber with my huntsrimn, crept about
upon their hands aud knees and endeav.
ored To discover, by cropping, from whence
the sound proceeded. They hal not al-
Sanced Tar into tile cavern before We heard
them utter an exclamation Of surrrise
and they returned to us, each carrying in
his arms an aRimal, singulariy marked,
and about the size of cat, seemingly ol
great strength and power, and furnished
with immense E,ngs. The eyes were of a
green color strong claws were upon their
feet, and n bloodred tongue hung out o.
their mouths. Wharton had scare .ly
glanced at them when he exclaimed. il
CONSERVATION;
- GoUa Gi9i. NO have sJsT,s i;is5 ;i',s
den Of a-----n.
He was interrupted by fearful cry o
'dismay from oar gnides, who came rush
ing precipitately toward US, calling
ous:
"a tiger u tiger !" and at the same
sime, with extraordinary rapiaity, they
'climed up tree which stood ut tie en-.
trance otthe cave, aud hid themselves
among the branches.
After the first sensation of horror and
surprise. which rendered ms motionies.
for moment, had subsided, graspe,l
my fire arms. Wharton bad already rc.
gained Ills composIre and self-posscssion
and he called TO us to assist him instantly
in blocking up the mouth of The eayc viii
an inmense stone, which Fortunately Law
near IL The sense Of approaching dan
ger augmented our strepgth for we now
distinctly heard the growl Of the ierociou
animal, and we were lost beyond rcdemp
tioa II IL reached the entrance before W,
could get il closed. Ere this vas don,
we could distinctly see tie tiger boppdipI
toward the spot, and stoopiug IN order 1,
creep into his den by the narrow opeli
ing. At this fearful moment our exer
tons were successful. and the great stone
kept the Wild beast a. bay,
There was q small opening. however
left between the top of The entrance an,
the store, thfoHgh which we could A.
the head o. the animal, illuminated b
IFS glowing eyes, which Il rolled, glarih
with fury, upon US. Its srightfaI roaring
too, penetrated to the depths Of the ca,