Page:Life in Java Volume 2.djvu/82

66 I began to think I had done a very silly thing. In one corner I saw, as I looked round, six glittering eyes—like golden balls—glaring at me; and at the opposite side a tiger, apparently bolder than the rest, advanced toward me. Seeing the beast's intention, and knowing how utterly defenceless I was, I gave utterance to an awful yell, and to my no small delight he turned, and, as though terrified at the unusual sound, cowered down again. 'You are not very hungry, my boy,' was my thought, as I picked up my cap, and took my seat on one of the cross-beams, to await the arrival of some kind friend; and you may judge with what pleasure I heard your voices as you came to liberate me—for, besides the fear of danger, the smell of the place quite made me sick."

This man's extraordinary coolness and courage, which was the topic of conversation for many days, gained him the admiration of the officers, and for a time he was quite the "lion" of the place.