180 A PROVIDENTIAL DELIVERANCE. 



cautiously, ran foul of the stern and broke the flag- 

 staff. They therefore put into a creek, and some 

 of the men landed near a wood to fell a tree to 

 make a new staff. Hoping to be able to procure 

 some fresh meat for supper, Mr Haensel accom- 

 panied them, armed with his double-barrelled gun. 

 While they were at their work he walked outside 

 the thicket, eagerly searching for game, and soon 

 discovered among the high grass an object which, 

 by its motions, he mistook for the back of a hare. 

 He took aim, and was just about to fire, when the 

 animal rose up and proved to be a tiger, of which 

 the top of the head only had been visible. In- 

 voluntarily he dropt his arm and stood motionless 

 with horror, expecting that the creature would im- 

 mediately make a spring at him. He had given 

 himself up for lost, but, providentially, the beast 

 appeared as much alarmed as he was, and after 

 looking at him for a few moments, turned slowly 

 about and began to creep away, like a frightened 

 cat, with his belly close to the ground ; then, gradu- 

 ally quickening his pace, fled with precipitation 

 into the wood. 



Some time elapsed before the missionary re- 

 covered self-possession sufficient to retrace his steps 

 to the beach, for he felt his very heart tremble 

 within him (as he forcibly expresses himself). His 

 perils, however, were not yet ended. As he ap- 



