162 THE TIGER. 
neighbours speedily change the course of events by getting on the roof in their turn, and 
shooting the burelarious guadruped through the opening which its own claws had made. 
A rather Indicrous adventure occurred to an old woman who was on her way home. 
She had just arrived in sight of her doorway, when she perceived a large Tiger crawl 
up to the entrance, and allured, probably, by the scent of provisions, walk ‘coolly into her 
house. With great presence of mind she closed the door on the intruder, and calling for 
aid from her friends, soon had the satisfaction of placing her hand upon the Tiger's carcass 
as he lay on her floor, pierced with the missiles hurled at him through the window. 
Many of these beautiful animals have been brought to England, and through the 
medium of Zoological Gardens and travelling menageries are familiar to us all. “When 
caught in its first infancy, or when born and bred in captivity, the Tiger is as tameable an 
animal as the lion or any of the feline race, displaying great attachment to its keeper, and 
learning many small accomplishments, such as jumping through hoops and over sticks, 
enacting the part of a couch to its keeper, letting him pull its huge jaws open, and all 
with perfect good humour. These exhibitions, however, are never “quite safe, and ought 
not to be permitted, 
On some occasions the animal may be in a bad temper, and not willing to go through 
its performances, and upon being urged strongly to act against its inclination, may tun 
upon its persecutor and inflict a fatal wound in a moment. The creature may not intend 
to commit murder, but its strength is so great that, having no mathematical knowledge of 
the theory of forces, it cannot calculate the effect of a blow from its paw, or a erip of its 
teeth. Such events have more than once occurred, one of which, the death of the well- 
known “ Lion Queen,” was singularly tragical. The Tiger was required by the “Lion 
Queen” to exhibit some part of his usual performances, and being in a sulky mood, 
refused to obey. The girl struck him with her whip, when he sprang upon her, forced 
her against the side of the cage, and seized her by the throat. She was almost immediately 
extricated from his grasp and removed from the cage, but although no apparently mortal 
injury had been inflicted, she died within a very few minutes. 
If we look down the vista of long past centuries, we may recall the time when England 
was but one large hunting-field, w here the wild beasts roved at their pleasure. That a human 
being should be struck down by a wild beast was in those days no uncommon event, but 
that a similar circumstance should occur at the present day and in the open streets of 
London, seems almost impossible. Yet it was but lately that a Tiger sprang upon a 
young lad, in Ratcliffe Highway, providentially without inflicting very serious damage. 
The animal had escaped from his cage, and dashing down the street, more, perhaps, in 
terror than rage, leaped upon the boy, and bore him to the ground. Fortunately the 
keepers came up, and with their usual cool audacity rescued the sufferer, and recaptured 
the truant Tiger. The nonchalance with which these men treat the fiercest beasts, is most 
remarkable. They talk of a savage Tiger or leopard as if it were a kitten, and seem 
to handle the dangerous beast w ith as much composure as if it were, in truth, one of 
those animals. 
The same Tiger is also celebrated for his battle with a lon, resulting in the death of 
the latter. 
The two creatures had been put into one large cage, or box, which was divided by a 
partition in the centre, so as to separate the two animals. While the attendants were at 
their breakfast, the Tiger battered down the too frail barrier, and leaping into the lion’s 
chamber, entered into fierce combat. Not even the keepers dared interfere to stop the 
battle, which raged until it was terminated by the slaughter of the hon. The poor beast 
never had a chance from the beginning, for it was weakened by three years’ captivity, and 
had lost the swift activity of its wild nature. Its heavy mane defended its head and neck 
so well, that the Tiger could not inflict any severe injury on those portions, and the fatal 
wounds, under which it sank, were all upon the flanks and abdomen, which were torn 
open by the Tiger’s claws. 
It was a serious loss to the proprietor, for the lon had cost three hundred, and the 
Tiger, which, although the victor, did not escape unscathed, four hundred pounds. The 
lion was six or seven years of age at the time. 
