The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1869-03-25
A Hungry Tiger.

One night after | had been six
months on the Island, was seated
BY the FIRE, waiting for the plautan,
that were boiling ia tho pot. JOACHIM
was not in the hut, aud | was expect.
ing him home to supper.
Suddonly | heard his shout out.
sidc, and the neat instant he dashed
ioto tbe hut, banged the door to, aud
threw the heavy bar across il. jus,
as he had Fixed It, and had leancd his
shoulder against the stout wood as
au additional support, there was a
shock so heavy that tho whole hut
quivered and made the door bend.
Apother followed, then all was still.
sprank up at tho first sight OF
JOACHIM, but the scene passed so qui-
city that no word had been spoken
yet. But when, after the second
blow on the door, the attempt seem.
cd TO be abandouod on that side. |
took the native by the shoulder aud
shook him, for he seemed wild with
fear.
"Hallo, mani !" I said "what is
this2' His appearance was ghastly.
The old Gautamala jacket no wore
his leather breocbes, oven his boots Of
alligator hide, were ripped and cut
by thorns Of the hcacias. His face
slrosmed with blood from the M, ny
deep scratches, and porspiration
drenched his long hair.
IA black tiger" he whispered, at
has chased me across the savannah,
for my horse tired out. IL is after
me. Oh, listen t. -fH.t.4.Fi ,
Then, in the silence. while we held
our breath, and Joachim strained my
hand backwards aud forwards | heard
tho lIurd snoring of q tiger Just out
side the door. No doubt of it. Tho
beast had singled Joachim out, and
let the horse 60 free. ''a "
While We listened, tho direction Of
the sound moved about, now up and
down, accompanied by raps against
the door, as IL tho animal was rost.
ing his paws against it as he he rails
ed himself up on his hind legs.
At length we heard the sound
of scratching, aud l drew my mach
cite. In few seconds a black paw,
armed with terrible crooked claws,
was soon working on our side Of the
door. 1 gave a downright cut, which
nearly severed il, and the animal
roaring savagely, threw himself
against the wood again and again in
rago.
Then another pause followed.
Very soon n noise upon the roof
showed, as We had expected, that the
enemy was directing his attack 10
that direction, and got my old gun
ready. AS soon as saw the anni-
mails fur ] fred, aud wounded him,
no dodbts for he ralod off the roof,
and we heard him fall heavily. Again
aud again he returned to the attempt
and every time | caught a glimpse OF
his black aud shining skin tired.
His roaring was terrible to hear.
aud Joachim, who never had courage
to spare, sat on the floor ia the cor
ner, striving to close his ears to tho
sound.
All night tho struggle lasted at
intervals, and every crack of tho hut
was tried by this untiring foe. He
dashed upon the door, he bounded
upon the roof, scratching that way,
but never disturbed my iiro. lie
tried the walls and door again and
again. It was an awful night. thnt's
fact, and I, for my part, did not re-
cover from the nervous strain for
months. .. ......
With the dawn the tigers efforts
became fainter, aud at length ceased.
When the sun ~ose took my gun
and sailed out to meet che creature
in fair fight. | followed his trail
for mile or more. easily guided by
the clots of blood which Stained the
grass and rocks. He was wounded
to death saw plainly. At last I found
him dead bes ide the body of oachin S
horse, which he must hkvo destroyed
in the very last effort Of his rage. dy.
ing ia the act.