and these animals were being
brought home to be presented to some menagerie or zoological garden.
There were several fine specimens of lions and tigers, and the sight of
blood which flowed plentifully on the decks had so excited these
creatures that they were now filling the air with deafening roars,
bounding against the sides of their cage, (which I expected every moment
to see broken to pieces by their united strength), and glaring at us
with the most awful expressions of ferocity I ever beheld.

Our captain, who looked almost as fierce as the wild brutes, could not
make his voice heard for their roaring. In savage fury he rushed at the
cage and made a desperate cut with his sword at the lion nearest the
bars. The blood flowed from the wound freely, and the savage animal,
being unable to wreak its vengeance on its cowardly assailant, attacked
one of its comrades. This, and the blood now flowing in the cage, quite
maddened them all. An indiscriminate fight ensued. The wooden
partition that separated the tigers from the lions was smashed in, and
the strong cage shook as if it were made of card-board.

"Turn a gun in-board," yelled the captain, who seemed to have actually
gone mad with passion.

The order was instantly obeyed.

"Load to the muzzle--grape--canister--chain shot. In with it."

He assisted in the operation; rammed home the extraordinary charge,
pointed the gun at the cage, and applied the match. Instantly the gun
leaped backwards as if it had been a living thing, broke down the
bulwarks of the ship, and plunged overboard.

The effect of the shot was terrific. The cage was blown to atoms, and
the mangled remains of the wild beasts were strewn about the deck. One
animal, however, a magnificent Bengal tiger, had apparently escaped
unhurt. It sprang at the captain with a hideous roar. He pointed a
pistol at its open throat!

At that moment the woodcut in my book of travels flashed vividly before
me. But I had not time to think. The pistol exploded, sending its
contents down the creature's throat. The tiger fell short in its leap;
blood poured from its mouth and nose. With another bound it cleared the
bulwarks, and fell into the sea.

The calm that succeeded this thrilling incident was like a sudden lull
in the midst of a furious storm. Even the pirates seemed to be
solemnised by what had passed.

"Now to work," cried the captain, wiping his sword, and laying it, with
a brace of loaded