The Irish standard., 1898-09-10

under her rudder port, and for mo-
ment we though: that even this hige
sea would go harmlcssly by.
But it was, too steep, aud too ucnr its
fellow wave for the ship to ride it
safely. She had glided swiftly down
from the smaller, and the larger caught
her AT disadvantage.
As the stern began TO rise the top OF
the swell broke over the taffrail. 1t
came with inconceivahle force upou the
poop deck, which was seven feet high,
aud under which was the cabin. The
boat which hung at the stern was stove,
the bnnac!c broken. the compass
smashed, and the mizzen mast carried
by the board.
Roaring forward, from the ta ffrail to
the howspri,, went the prodigious inun-
dation, filing the decks to he top Of the
rail. s,avins a great hole in the house
forward. where il dclugcd all the bcr,hs
OF the sailors, and tearing away many
Of the bulwark boards.
Our captain. together With the doctor
and his wife, had t,artc,i into the cabin
under the poop. while the res, of us ran
up the fore and main rigging, there be-
ing at the time no one at the nr!m on ac-
count of the calm.
I'll poor peacock and his mate went
out in their cage over the forward bull
wnr.s. and the cat with them. and all
this while lhcrr was not a breath of air
Hut what y sight the cabin presented!
The water had entered ii toa depth OF
three or four feet, and gone smashing
from side to side Till il swept down all
the bird cages. besides half drowning
the captain and the two passengers
il"w"\cr,as the floor WAS on A level with
the main deck. the flood soon pbatcl.
We cleared the wreck with all pos
siblr haste, aud had jus, completed the
work when the great East Indian hurri-
ranc, OF which The waves we had seen
had been the advance guard, struck us
with terrible fury. 1t had somewhere
been rlr2'ng around for many hours,
although making no very rapid head
way in a direct line. hence the mighty
swel'> that swept far out into the calm
For the rest Of that day and all the fol-
lowing night the roar of the wind Was
awful. Our two remaining masts were
whltlrd out of the ship, as If they had
been only dry ,wigs. while the forward
house WAS carried overheard with all
our sea rhcst, and mattresses. \ man
could not Stand for Il moment without
grasping some "hirr; tn support him.
Soon after daylight the hurricane on
sudden died away, and an hour later
tho ship. which had been driven to all
points of the compass by the cirrlny
wind. struck or the island of Singapore
and n spot about i've miles from the
city
I'm enormously high tide carried her
sheer over the sr1silnrr rocks. aud Into
the edge Of swampy forest which lined
the low hank, yet she WAS drawing at
the time is feet of water
Here The old Lion stuck fast, IL per-
feet wreck, and when the tide went
Gown. sh" was high and dry. with
""indr"ws of great trees lying about
her, locking as il some terrific Srvthe
had cut them down.
In the afternoon we made our way on
foot along the island shore toward tho
city.
Wien half The distance had been nc
complishrd. it became necessary u latss
over pirrc "f broken ana dtlicnlt
ground. MEer: WE came upon the dead
body Of II tiger, which hdd been crushed
by The fall Of II tree.
Fhnsing to examine the grim but still
handsome creature, We began to hear,
close to us. a low. deep sound, rcscln-
bling the just prrrcptihc roll OF very
d'stnnt thunder Everyone started and
the Doctors wife turned pale with af-
fright.
Hist" exclaimed the ci.ptnin, point
ing to spot not more than 20 yards off,
where there was II low, fiat rock, par
TALLY hidden by Il trcetop which had
fallen across 1t. We fixed our gaze
upon the place, and sharp thrill passed
through us. There, crourhtd upon the
rock. growing in a suppressed manner,
and with its flaming eyes intently
watching MS. was another tiger. and in
the full possession Of life and strength.
There is but one way" said the cap
tuin. 1--WE must step back us gently as
We can. IT. is just possible that he may
not spring upon us"
He was large and fierce enough to
have been able to kill 20 human beings
In as many minutes. but perhaps tho
terror inspired by the hurricane had not
yet left him.
We drew slowly away from the dam
ger, the tiger all the while watching us
with those terrible eyes. but remaining
as notionless az the rock on which he
lay. l remember distinctly The black
stripes that marked The orange ground
OF his face and shoulders rs he crouched
there looking at MS.
Our retreat, however, was effected in
safety, and never were people moro
grateful for II happy deliverance from
most appalling dnngcr than were we.
Reaching the city OF Singapore, we
found that the damage TO its buildings
and shipping Mad been immense My
tnrry nt the spot was not long was
placed with the other foremost hands
on board d steamer. n,:d we went up to
Calcutta.
The captain remained for awhile long
er nt Singapore. but the doctor and his
wife accompanied us to the great cupi-
tai of liindostan. where they fixed their
residcncc.-Gol,lcn Days.
Tho Schoolboy Bully.
And the bullies iD the school. ruess
there will always bc bnllies in all