THE TIGEB'S CAVE.

THE TIGER'S CAVE.

AN ADVENTURE AMONG THE MOUNTAINS OF QUITO.

ON leaving the Indian village, we continued to wind round Chimborazo's wide base, but its snow-crowned head no longer shone above us in clear brilliancy, for a dense fog was gathering gradually around it. Our guides looked anxiously toward it, and announced their apprehensions of a violent storm. We soon found that their fears were well founded. The fog rapidly covered and obscured the whole of the mountain; the atmosphere was suffocating, and yet so humid, that the steel work of our watches was covered with rust, and the watches stopped. The river beside which we were traveling, rushed down with still greater impetuosity; and from the clefts of the rocks which lay on the left of our path, were suddenly precipitated small rivulets, that bore the roots of trees, and innumerable serpents along with them. These rivulets often came down so suddenly and violently, that we had great difficulty in preserving our footing. The thunder at length began to roll, and resounded through the mountain passes with the most terrific grandeur. Then came the vivid lightning-flash followed flash-above, around, beneath-everywhere a sea of fire. We sought a momentary shelter in a cleft of the rocks, while one of our guides hastened forward to seek a more secure asylum. In a short time he returned, and informed us that he had discovered a spacious cavern, which would afford us sufficient protection from the elements. We proceeded thither, immediately, and, with great difliculty, and not a little danger, at last got into it.

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ful cry of dismay from our guides, who came rushing precipitately toward us, calling out: "A tiger! a tiger!" and at the same time, with extraordinary rapidity, they climbed up a cedar tree which stood at the entrance of the cave, and hid themselves among the branches.

After the first sensation of horror and surprize, which rendered me motionless for a moment, had subsided, I grasped my fire-arms. Wharton had already regained his composure and self-possession, and he called us to assist him instantly in blocking up the mouth of the cave with an immense stone, which, fortunately, lay near it. The sense of approaching danger augmented our strength, for we now distinctly heard the growl of the ferocious animal, and we were lost beyond redemption if it reached the entrance before we could get it closed. Ere this was done, we could distinctly see the tiger bounding toward the spot, and stooping, in order to creep into his den by the narrow opening. At this fearful moment our exertions were successful, and the great stone kept the wild beast at bay. There was a small open space, however, 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 fightful roaring, too, penetrated the depths of the cavern, and was answered by the hoarse growling of the cubs,. which Lincoln and Frank now tossed from them. Our ferocious enemy attempted first to remove the stone with its powerful claws, and then to push it with its head from its place; and these efforts proving abortive, served only to increase its wrath. He uttered a tremendous heart-piercing howl, and his flaming eyesdarted 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."

The noise and raging of the storm continued with so much violence, that we could not hear the sound of our own voices. I had placed myself near the entrance of the cave, and could observe through the opening, which was straight and narrow, the singular scene without. The highest cedar trees were struck down, or bent like reeds-monkeys and parrots lay strewed Frank seized his double-barreled gun, and Lincoln upon the ground, killed by the falling branches-the his pistols--the former placed the muzzle within a few water had collected in the path we had just passed, inches of the tiger, and Lincoln did the same. At and hurried along it like a mountain stream. From Wharton's command, they both drew their triggers the everything I saw I thought it extremely probable that same moment, but no shot followed. The tiger, who we should be obliged to pass some days in this cavern. seemed to be aware that the flash indicated an attack When the storm, however, had somewhat abated, our upon him, sprang growling from the entrance; but, guides ventured out in order to ascertain if it were pos-upon feeling himself unhurt, immediately turned back sible to continue our journey. The cave in which we again, and stationed himself at his former place. The had taken refuge was so extremely dark, that if we powder in both pieces was wet, they therefore proceedmoved a few paces from the entrance, we could noted to draw the useless loading, while Wharton and mysee an inch before us; and we were debating as to the propriety of leaving it before the Indians came back, when was suddenly heard such a singular groaning or howling at the further end of the cavern, which instantly fixed all our attention. Wharton and myself listened anxiously, but our daring and inconsiderate young friend, Lincoln, together with my huntsman, crept about on their hands and knees, and endeavored to discover by groping, whence the sound proceeded. They had not advanced far into the cavern, before we heard them utter an exclamation of surprize; and they returned to us, each carrying in his arms an animal about the size of a cat, seemingly of great strength and power, and furnished with immense fangs. The eyes were of a green color; strong claws were upon their feet, and a blood-red tongue hung out of their mouths. Wharton had scarcely glanced at them, when he exclaimed in consternation: "Good heavens! we are in the den of a -"He was interrupted by a fear

self 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 cannister 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 horrible discovery excited the greatest possible consternation.

"All is over now," said Wharton; "we have only now to choose whether we shall die of hunger, together with these animals that are shut up along with us, or to open the entrance to the blood-thirsty monster without, and make a quicker end of the matter."

So saying, he placed himself close beside the stone, which, for a moment, defended us, and looked undauntedly upon the lightning eyes of the tiger. Lin

The howls which the tigress gave, when she had examined the bodies of her cubs, surpassed everything of the horrible that we had yet heard, and the tiger mingled his mournful cries with hers. Suddenly her roar

coln 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 had heard it also, became more restless and dis-ing was lowered to a hoarse growling, and we saw her turbed than ever. He went backward and forward 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 harmless 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 as if he would have dragged it to the ground. But having at length succeeded in getting rid of the arrow, he became more calm, and laid himself down as before in front of he cave.

anxiously stretch out her head, extend her wide nostrils, and look as if she were determined to discover immediately the murderers of her young. Her eyes fell quickly upon us, and she made a spring forward with the intention of penetrating to our place of refuge. Perhaps she might have been enabled, by her immense strength, to push away the stone, had we not, with all our united power, held it against her. When she found that all her efforts were fruitless, she approached the tiger, who lay stretched beside his cubs, and he rose and joined her roarings. They stood together for a few moments, as if in consultation, and then suddenly went off at a rapid pace, and disappeared from our sight. Their howling died away in the distance, and then entirely ceased. We now began to entertain better hopes of our condition, but Wharton shook his head. "Do not flatter yourselves," said he, "with the beliefTM that these animals will let us escape out of their sight, till they have had their revenge. The hours we have to live are numbered."

Nevertheless, there still appeared a chance of our rescue, for to our surprize, we saw both of our Indians standing before the entrance, and heard them call to us to seize the only possibility of our yet saving ourselves by instant flight, for that the tigers had only gone

Frank now returned from the lower end of the den, and a glance showed us what he had been doing. In each hand, and dangling from the end of a string, were the two cubs-he had strangled them; and before we were aware what he intended, he threw them through the opening to the tiger. No sooner did the animal perceive them, than he gazed earnestly upon them, and began to observe them closely, turning them cautiously from side to side. As soon as he became aware that they were dead, he uttered so piercing a howl of sor-round the height to seek another inlet to the cave, with row, that we were obliged to put our hands to our ears. When I upbraided my huntsman for the cruel action he had so rashly committed, I perceived by his blunt and abrupt answers that he also had lost all hope of rescue from our impending fate, and that under these circumstances, the ties between master and servant were dissolved. For my own part, without knowing why, I could not help believing that some unexpected assistance would yet rescue us from so horrible a fate.precipitately struck into a side path. From the numAlas! I little anticipated the sacrifice that my rescue

was to cost.

which they were no doubt acquainted. In the greatest haste the stone was pushed aside, and we stepped forth from what we had considered a living grave. Wharton was the last who left; he was unwilling to lose his double-barreled gun, and stopped to take it up. The rest of us thought only of making our escape. We now heard once more the roar of tigers, though at a distance, and following the example of our guides, we

ber of roots and branches of trees with which the storm had strewed our way, and the slipperiness of the road, our flight was slow and difficult. Wharton, though an active seaman, had a heavy step, and great difficulty in keeping pace with us, and we were often obliged to slacken our pace on his account.

We had proceeded thus for a quarter of an hour, when we found that our way led along the edge of a rocky cliff, with innumerable fissures, We had just entered upon it, when suddenly the Indians uttered one of their piercing shrieks, and we immediately became aware that the tigers were in pursuit of us. Urg

The thunder had now ceased, and the storm had sunk to a gentle gale--the songs of the birds were again heard in the neighboring forest-and the sunbeams sparkled in the drops that hung from the leaves. We saw through the aperture how all nature was reviving after the wild war of elements which had so recently taken place; but the contrast only made our situation the more horrible. We were in a grave from which there was no deliverance, and a monster, worse than the fabled Cerebus, kept watch over us. The tiger had laid himself down beside his whelps. He was a beau-ed by despair, we rushed toward one of the breaks, or tiful animal, of great size and strength, and his limbs gulfs, in our way, over which was thrown a bridge of being stretched out at their full length, displayed his reeds, that sprang up and down at every step, and immense power of muscle. A double row of great could be trod with safety by the light foot of the Inteeth stood far enough apart to show his large red dian alone. Deep in the hollow below, rushed an imtongue, from which the white foam fell in large drops. petuous stream, and a thousand pointed and jagged All at once, another roar was heard at a distance, and rocks threatened destruction on every side. Lincoln, the tiger immediately rose and answsred it with a my huntsman, and myself passed over the chasm in mournful howl. At the same instant, our Indians ut- safety, but Wharton was still in the middle of the watered a shriek, which announced that some new dan-ving bridge, and endeavoring to steady himself, when ger threatened us. A few moments confirmed our worst fears, for another tiger, not quite so large as the former, came rapidly toward the spot where we were. "This enemy will prove more cruel than the other," said Wharton, "for this is the female, and she knows no pity for those who deprive her of her young."

both the tigers were seen to issue from the adjoining forest; and the moment they descried us, they bounded toward us with dreadful roarings. Meanwhile, Wharton had nearly gained the side of the gulf, and we were clambering up the rocky cliff, except Lincoln, who remained at the reedy bridge to assist his friend to

EARS.

Then there was the gentle curve of the hair, sweeping
carefully round so as to leave a clear setting therefor.
Often as we have thus watched an unconscious beauty,
and built up a theory of loveliness, based upon the per-
fection of this pretty organ; investing its owner with
the numberless attributes of feminine grace, just in

step upon firm ground. Wharton, though the fero-face has been denied us; watching the gradual softencious animals were close upon him, never lost his ing of the rich shell-like hue of the cheek into the down courage or presence of mind. As soon as he had gain-of the neck, and the blue-whiteness about the ear. ed the edge of the cliff, he knelt down, and with his sword divided the fastenings by which the bridge was attached to the rock. He expected that an effectual barrier would thus be put to the further progress of our pursuers; but he was mistaken; for he had scarcely accomplished his task, when the tigress, without a moment's pause, rushed toward the chasm, and at-proportion as it was small, nicely adapted to the head, tempted to bound over it. It was a fearful sight to see and exquisite in its construction; and then as she the mighty animal suspended for a moment in the air turned her face, and amazement at our artistic admiraabove the abyss; but the scene passed like a flash of tion called the ready blood to her cheek, and we have lightning. Her strength was not equal to the distance, seen the rose-tint steal over this vital pearl, we have and she fell into the gulf, and before she reached the felt that the last charm had been imparted; and amid bottom she was torn into a thousand pieces by the the numberless graces of a graceful head, have been jagged points of the rocks. Her did not in the least half tempted to become a worshipper of an ear-yes, of dismay her companion. He followed her with an im- an ear, in spite of the curling of red lips, the flashing mense spring, and reached the opposite side, but only of bright eyes, and even although many a fair one No wonder Pauline tremwith his claws; and thus he clung to the edge of the might "turn up her pretty nose" in contempt. Commend us to an ear. precipice, endeavoring to gain a footing. The Indians again uttered a wild shriek, as if all hope had been lost. bled when it was uttered. She knew its importance But Wharton, who was nearest the edge of the rock, to a finished contour; and that when her own shapely advanced courageously toward the tiger, and stuck his shoulders were crowned with a head worthy the MeAlas! they were a trifle sword into the animal's breast. Enraged beyond all dicean Venus, these all-important organs were not in measure, the wild beast collected all his strength, and harmony in her own case. with a violent effort, fixing one of his hind legs upon too large; well enough upon a less exquisite head, but the edge of the cliff, he seized Wharton by the thigh. not in keeping upon her own; French ears, like a plain That heroic man still preserved his fortitude: he grasp-ivory flap, but to which the beautiful scroll-like fold, ed the trunk of a tree with his left hand, to steady and or "hemmed edge," as the ladies would say, had been support himself, while with his right he wrenched and denied. violently turned the sword that was still in the breast of the tiger. All this was the work of an instant. The Indians, Frank and myself, hastened to his assistance; but Lincoln, who was already at his side, seized Wharton's gun, which lay near upon the ground, and struck so powerful a blow with the butt end upon the head of the tiger, that the animal, stunned and overpowered, let go his hold and fell back into the abyss. All would have been well had it ended thus-but the unfortunate Lincoln had not calculated upon the force of his blow; he staggered forward, reeled upon the edge of the precipice-extended his hand to seize upon anything to save himself-but in vain. His foot slipped; for an instant he hovered over the gulf, and then was plunged into it to rise no more!

EARS.

BY ELIZABETH OAKES SMITH.

We regret these pretty appendages to a woman's head are out of fashion. We cordially confess to a liking for them. To us an ear is in itself an object of beauty. Its delicate circumvolutions, the wax-like texture, the nicety of finish, the bordering, like a fold of alabaster; the elaborate care as to the setting up, the niching, as it were, of this exquisite piece of art, were to us a part of the study of the beautiful.

The ear imparted a look of "thorough breeding," or
otherwise, to an elegant contour; it had a sentiment
to our eyes, disregarded as this unpretending accessory
to loveliness too often is. It claims nothing in itself,
and yet imparts a world of grace to the side of a fine
head, nestling away, as it does, amid locks that per-
chance, are

"Brown in the shadow and gold in the sun.’
Often and often have we sat watching the play of the
curls about one of these gems, when the view of the

No wonder that the attendant of King Midas found it impossible to contain himself, with the secret of the monarch's asinine members weighing like an incubusupon his sense of the beautiful. Daily as he arranged the masses of royal hair, and adjusted the coronal so as best to conceal the deformity, he became impressed In this way the perwith the immense importance of these organs in setting up a comely countenance. fection of these organs, even in ordinary conformations, grew upon his fancy.

He became a studier of ears. Ears were the great subject with him. He theorised; he grew nervous; the subject increased in magnitude. It was a terrible secret. There were no magazines in those days for ridding brains of pent-up fancies. In this dilemma the youth dug a hole in the earth, and whispered therein: "Midas has asses ears upon his head ;" and ever since, the stirring of the winds amid the reeds of the vicinity, has caused them to repeat the words; thus forever bearing testimony, not only to the antiquity, but to the general beauty of conformation in these organs.

Legislators have acted from a recognition of the general voice in favor of ears, and accordingly have made the loss of these members the penalty for certain offences supposed to have a mysterious relationship there-with.

We have seen a dog, the ears of which some mis-chievous boy had partially abstracted, and the whole character and appearance of the creature has undergone an immediate change. An honest face has assumed something of the sinister; a benevolent one become sullen, even "dogged" in its aspect. Cato was no longer Cato. He contracted a way of looking with a half human inquiry into one's face, as much as to say: "You see how I am changed!" Poor thing! in drinking out of a pail he would start at his own shadow, or he would cry: "Am I myself?—am I Dromio!"

and clean inn here, a delicious leg of mutton; it is now getting ready, and I flatter myself that we shall make an excellent meal." Johnson looked pleased. "And I hope," said he, "you have bespoke a pudding."

Blessings brighten as they take their flight."

"The have been" are embalmed in the heart's warm-"Sir, you will have your favorite pudding," replied the est affections. "The Lost" is of more worth than the other. ninety and nine that went not astray.

It was long before we learned the real cause of this modern sense of discomfort. We had been accustomed to ears. They were somehow associated with heads. We had never reasoned about it; people should reason about everything in this world; it is the only way of arriving at defined ideas. Here was our error. A lean ing in favor of ears in the fitting up of the human head, was an instinct, an intuition, not a deduction of reason. Yet these intuitions are so pleasing, associate themselves so with the affections, that we are apt to give them a preference.

But the subject is one of melancholy suggestiveness. When a good has departed, we learn to estimate its value.

.

"Johnson got off the pony, and the poor animal, relieved from the giant, smelt his way into the stable. Boswell ushered the Doctor into the house, and left him to prepare for his delicious treat. Johnson feeling his coat rather damp, from the mist of the mountains, went into the kitchen, and threw his upper garment on a chair before the fire; he sat on the hob, near a little boy who was very busy attending the meat. Johnson occasionally peeped from behind his coat, while the boy kept basting the mutton; Johnson did not like the appearance of his head; when he shifted the basting ladle from one hand, the other hand was Well, we looked at fine heads and looked away again, never idle, and the Doctor thought at the same time with a vague feeling of bereavement. We had a con- he saw something fall on the meat, upon which he defused image of incompleteness, of an apple-like inno-termined to eat no mutton on that day. The dinner an vation upon contour. At length, thinking to whisper nounced, Boswell exclaimed, "My dear Doctor, here a trifle in a lady's ear, behold! these appendages were comes the mutton-what a picture! done to a turn, and minus. We looked again, there was a continuous looks so beautifully brown! "The Doctor tittered. sweep of the glossy hair from the forehead to the back After a short grace Boswell said: of the neck, passing directly over the "Illium fuit" of our imagination.

"I suppose I am to carve, as usual; what part shall I help you to? The Doctor replied:

We have become accustomed to the freaks of fashion; we have often admired-have smiled at its vagaries, and been amused at its whimsicalities. Indeed, a stoical hardihood was fast growing upon us; we were getting resigned to the worst; but we were unprepared for this; "Et tu Brute," and we fold our robe in silence.

DR. JOHNSON'S PUDDING.

LAST Summer I made an excursion to Scotland, with the intention of completing my series of views, and went over the same ground described by the learned tourists, Dr. Johnson and Boswell. I am in the habit of taking very long walks on these occasions; and per ceiving a storm threaten, I made the best of my way to a small building. I arrived in time at a neat little inn, and was received by a respectable looking man and his wife, who did all in their power to make me comfortable. After eating some excellent fried mutton chops, and drinking a quart of ale, I asked the landlord to sit down and partake of a bowl of whiskey punch. I found him, as the Scotch generally are, very intelligent, and full of anecdote, of which the following may serve as a specimen :

"Sir," said the landlord, "this inn was formerly kept by Andrew Macgregor, a relation of mine; and these hard-bottomed chairs (in which we are now sit ting (werc, years ago, filled by the great tourists, Doctor Johnson and Boswell, traveling like the Lion and Jackal. Boswell generally preceded the Doctor in search of food, and being much pleased with the looks of the house, followed his nose into the larder, where he saw a fine leg of mutton. He ordered it to be roast ed with the utmost expedition, and gave particulars orders for a nice pudding. "Now," says he, "make the best of all puddings." Elated with his good luck, he immediately went out in search of his friend, and saw the giant of learning slowly advancing on a pony. "My dear Sir," said Boswell, out of breath with joy, "good news! I have just bespoke, at a comfortable,

"My dear Bozy I did not like to tell you before, but I am determined to abstain from meat to day.

"O dear! this is a great disappointment," said Bozy. Say no more; I shall make inyself ample amends with the pudding."

Boswell commenced the attack, and made the first cut at the mutton. "How the gravy runs; what fine flavored fat, so nice and brown too. Oh, sir, you would have relished this prime piece of mutton."

"The meat being removed, in came the long wished for pudding. The Doctor looked joyous, fell eagerly to, and in a few minutes nearly finished the pudding! The table was cleared, and Boswell said:

"Doctor, while I was eating the mutton you seemed frequently inclined to laugh; pray, tell me what tickled your fancy?"

The Doctor then literally told him all that had passed at the kitchen fire, about the boy and the basting. Boswell turned as pale as a parsnip, and, sick of himself and the company, darted out of the room. Somewhat relieved, on returning, he insisted on seeing the dirty little rascally boy, whom he severely reprimanded before Johnson. The poor boy cried-the Doctor laughed.

"You little, filthy, snivelling hound," said Boswell, "when you basted the meat, why did you not put on the cap I saw you in this morning?"

"I could't, sir, said the boy.

"No! why could'nt you?" said Boswell. "Because my mammy took it from me to boil the pudding in!"

"The Doctor gathered up his herculean frame, stood erect, touched the ceiling with his wig, stared or squinted-indeed, looked any way but the right way. At last, with mouth wide open (none of the smallest) and stomach heaving, he with some difficulty recovered his breath, and looking at Boswell with dignified contempt, he roared out, with the lungs of a Stentor:

"Mr. Boswell, sir, leave off laughing, and under pain of my eternal displeasure, never utter a syllable of this abominable adventure to any soul living while you

HOLY-DAY SCENES.