People believe the tiger to be exclusively an inhabitant of tropical or subtropical regions.

That is an error.

On this continent (the speaker was in Asia) the royal Bengal tiger ranges at least as far north as the latitude of London.

I know he is found on the Amoor as high as the fiftieth degree." "Mercy on us!" broke in Caspar; "it may be a tiger, and we have never thought of having a door to our hut! If it should be one--" Here the hypothetic speech of Caspar was abruptly brought to a conclusion, by a singular noise from without--which was heard mingling in chorus with the baying of Fritz.
The noise in question bore some resemblance to the sound of a trumpet, only sharper and more treble in its character.

It was in effect more like the squeak of a _penny trumpet_ than the real article; and yet, withal, there was something terrifying in the sound.
It must have terrified Fritz: for the moment after it was heard, the dog came rushing back into the hut, as if pursued by a legion of horned bulls; and, though he kept up his angry baying, he appeared altogether disinclined to venture out again.
Just then, the singular noise was heard outside the door--something between a shriek and a whistle--and this time with a far more terrifying effect: since, whatever produced it--bird, beast, or man--was evidently near, and still approaching nearer.
Of the three individuals within the hut, only one had ever before heard a sound exactly similar to that.