3831.] The Tigers Cave. 



left between the top of the entrance and the stone, through which we 

 could see the head of the animal, illuminated by its glowing eyes, which 

 it rolled, glaring with fury, upon us. Its frightful roaring, too, pene- 

 trated to the depths of the cavern, and was answered by the hoarse 

 growling of the cubs, which Lincoln and Frank had now tossed from 

 them. Our ferocious enemy attempted first to remove the stone with his 

 powerful claws, and then to push it with his head from its place ; and 

 these efforts, proving abortive, served only to increase his wrath. He 

 uttered a frightful howl, and his flaming eyes darted light into the 

 darkness of our retreat. 



" Now is the time to fire at him !" said Wharton, with his usual 

 calmness ; " aim at his eyes ; the ball will go through his brain, and 

 we shall then have a chance to get rid of him." 



Frank seized his double-barrelled gun, and Lincoln his pistols. The 

 former placed the muzzle within a few inches of the tiger, and Lincoln 

 did the same. At Wharton's command, they both drew the triggers at 

 the same moment; but no shot followed. The tiger, who seemed aware 

 that the flash indicated an attack upon him, sprang, growling, from the 

 entrance ; but, feeling himself unhurt, immediately turned back again, 

 and stationed himself in his former place. The powder in both pieces 

 was wet ; they, therefore, proceeded to draw the useless loading, whilst 

 Wharton and myself hastened to seek our powder-flask. It was so 

 extremely dark, that we were obliged to grope about the cave ; and at 

 last, coming in contact with the cubs, we heard a rustling noise, as if 

 they were playing with some metal substance, which we soon discovered 

 was the canister we were looking for. Most unfortunately, however, 

 the animals had pushed off the lid with their claws, and the powder had 

 been strewed over the damp earth, and rendered entirely useless. This 

 discovery excited the greatest consternation. 



" All is over now," said Wharton ; " we have only to choose whether 

 we shall die of hunger, or open the entrance to the blood-thirsty mon- 

 ster without, and so make a quicker end of the matter." 



So saying, he placed himself close behind the stone which for the 

 moment defended us, and looked undauntedly upon the lightning eyes 

 of the tiger. Lincoln raved and swore ; and Frank took a piece of 

 strong cord from his pocket, and hastened to the farther end of the cave, 

 I knew not with what design. We soon, however, heard a low stifled 

 groaning ; and the tiger, who heard it also, became more restless and 

 disturbed than ever. He went backwards and forwards before the 

 entrance of the cave in the most wild and impetuous manner, then 

 stood still, and stretching out his neck in the direction of the forest, 

 broke forth into a deafening howl. Our two Indian guides took advan- 

 tage of this opportunity to discharge several arrows from the tree. He 

 was struck more than once ; but the light weapons bounded back harm- 

 less from his thick skin. At length, however, one of them struck him 

 near the eye, and the arrow remained sticking in the wound. He now 

 broke anew into the wildest fury, sprang at the tree and tore it with 

 his claws. But having at length succeeded in getting rid of the arrow, 

 he became more calm, and laid himself down as before in front of the 

 cave. 



Frank now returned from the lower end of the den, and a glance 

 shewed us what he had been doing. He had strangled the two cubs ; 



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