The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1898-05-18
TOOK CHARGE OF THE SHIP.
Royal Bengal Tiger Kept Every On&
on Board at Bay.

Royal Bengal Tiger Kept Every One
on Board at Bay.
An English nobleman was the owner of a
suberb royal Bengal tiger, of size and ap-
pearance really majestic. Not caring to
keep the creature longer, he sold him for
large price to the famous Geological Garden
at Antwerp. Some time afterward the d.
rector of the Zoo" received frantic mes
sage from the captain of a ship which had
just come into the harbor saying that he
had on board a tiger consigned to the
director, but that the animal had several
days before escaped from his cage and was
at large on the deck. The captain had sue
ceeded in getting a sort Of barricade erected
across the deck, that the sailors could
go aloft and do other necessary work. But
the whole ships company was under the
terror of the animal.
The director went with all haste to the
water side, and saw in the distance the ship
which was, indeed, bringing to him the
splendid tiger Of the British lord. But the
tiger was in charge Of the ship rather than
the reverse. He could be seen pacing the
deck in superb and lordly way that in
dicated the consciousness of possession
Not man was to be seen on board
The director had the ship brought up to
the wharf. The tide was low and the deck
was so far below the level Of the wharf
that there seemed to be no danger of the
tigers escaping to land. The director got
into communication with the captain
through a portfolio. and was Informed by
him that men had been regularly sent aloft
to let down meat to the tiger by a rope
so that the beast was actually gorged
with food. Nothing but overlooking had
kept the tiger from falling some horses
which were stabbed on the deck, but the
poor horses were in a place where no one
dared to go to them, and had neither food
nor water for several days.
The director and his assistants rugged q
sort of cage or box with drop held up by
a string which they lowered to the deck Of
the ship having first furnished it with
tempting bits Of fresh meat But the tiger,
after shifting at these from the outside of
the trap. walked contemptuously away He
did not want anything to eat.
Meantime the director said to the captain:
why didn't you shoot the tiger rather
than endanger the lives Of your men?"
The captain laughed I'VE should have
been glad enough to shoot him." he said,
but We have no firearms on board"
Tho director was determined now to get
the tiger off alive If he could. He drew lp
the trap and baited it with other sorts Of
provisions but the tiger refused to go near
them long time was spent in intellectual
attempts to coax the tiger into the trap
Meantime the tide rose. bringing the deck
Of the vessel almost up to the level OF the
wharf The crowd took flight In a few
minutes the beast could easily leap ashore.
The prospect Of having a royal Bengal
tiger loose in the streets Of Antwerp caus-
ed the police to warn the director that the
animal must very soon be shot.
The director was at his wits end, but
small street boy helped him out Of the
emergency by a very simple suggestion
This boy, who had not taken to flight with
the rest, said:
1.-THE tiger isn't hungry, but perhaps he
might be thirsty
The suggestion was acted on instantly A
tub Of water was placed in the cage and
lowered to the deck. No sooner did the tiger
who had had no water for some time, see
the tub than he rushed into the trap and
began drinking eagerly. Then the door was
dropped and he was a prisoner-Youth'
Companion