Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1898-08-11

wares, ana the cat with them. and all
this while there was not n breath Of air.
But what sight the cabin presented
The water had entered it to Il depth CT
three or four feet. and gone smashing
from side to side till tswept down I'll
the bird cages, besides half drowning
the captain and the two passengers.
However, rs the floor was on level with
the main deck, the fool soon abatcd.
We cleared the wreck with ali pos
sible haste, and had just completed the
work when the great Est Indian hurri-
cane, Of which the waves we had seen
had been the advance guard. struck us
with terrible fury. It had somewhere
been circling around for mary hours.
although making no very rapid head
way in a direct line, hence the mighty
swells thatswept far ont into the calm.
For the rest Of that day and al the fol-
lowing night the roar of the wind was
awful. Our two remaining masts were
wlirled out of the ship, as if they had
been only dry twigs, while the forward
house was carried overheard with all
our sea chests and mattresses. y man
could not stand fer a moment without
grasping some object to support him.
Soon after daylight the hurricane On
a sudden died away, ard an hour later
the ship, which had been driven to all
points of the compass by the circliAg
wind, struck or the island Of Singapore.
and spot about five miles from the
city.
An enormously high tide carried her
sheer over the seashorc rocks, and into
the edge OF swampy forest which lined
the low bank. yet she was drawing at
the time - feet Of water.
Here the cid Lion stuck fast, Il per-
feet wreck, and when the tide vent
down, she was high and dry, with
windows" of great trees lying about
her, looking as Il some terrific scythc
had cut them down.
In the afternoon we made our way on
foot along the island shorc toward the
city.
When half the distance had been ac-
complished, it became necessary to pass
over a piece of broken and difficult
ground, where we came upon the dead
body Of tiger, which had been crushed
by the fall CT tree.
pausing to examine the grim bat still
handsome creature, we began to hear
close to us, low, deep sound, rcsem-
bling the just perccptible roll Of very
distant thunder. Everyone started, and
the Doctors wife turned pale with af-
fright
Hist" exclaimed the captain, poiut-
Ing to a spot rot more than 20yards off,
where there was low, fat rock. par
tally hidden by treetop which had
fallen across it. We fixed our gaze
upon the place, and sharp thrill passed
through us. There, crouched upon the
rock, growing in suppressed manner,
and with Its flaming eyes intently
watching us, was another tiger, and in
the full possession of life and strength.
There is but one way" said the cap
tain. we must step back as gently as
we can. It is just possible that he may
rot spring upon u.s."
lie was large and fierce enough to
have been able to Kill 20 human beings
in as many minutes, but perhaps the
terror inspired by the hurricane had not
yet left him.
We drew slowly away from the dan
ger, the tiger ali the while watching us
with those terrible eyes, hut remaining
as motionle5s as the rock on which he
lay. 1 remember distinctly the black
stripes that marked the orange ground
of his face and shoulders as he crouchcd
there locking at lis.
Our retreat, however, was effected In
safety, and never were people more
grateful for happy deligerance from a
most appalling danger than were we.
Reaching the city of Singapore, we
found that the damage to It's buildings
and shipping had been immense. My
tarry at the spot was not long. was
placed with the other foremost hands
on board steamer. a@d we went up 10
Calcutta.
The captain remained for awhile long,
or at Singapore, but The doctor and his
wife accompanied US to the great CAPT
tai CT Hindostan, where they tiNed their
rcsldence.-Golden DAYS.