erceiving them on shore on that side of
the river, and that they were in distress, he pulled towards them, and
they told him what had happened, and that an hour previous I had left
the boat to force my way through the cane-brakes, and they had heard
nothing of me since.

"Madness!" cried he. "He is a lost man. Stay till I come back from the
schooner."

He went back to the schooner, and taking two of his crew who were
negroes, and his two bloodhounds, into the boat, he returned
immediately, and as soon as he landed he put the bloodhounds on my
track, and sent the negroes on with them. They had followed me in all
my windings, for it appeared that I had travelled in every direction,
and had come up with me just as I had sunk with exhaustion, and the
panther was so close upon me. The bloodhounds had attacked the panther,
and this was the noise which sounded in my ears, as I lay stupified and
at the mercy of the wild beast. The panther was not easily, although
eventually, overcome, and the black men coming up had found me and borne
me in a state of insensibility on board the Sparrow-Hawk. The fever had
come on me, and it was not till three weeks afterwards that I recovered
my senses, when I learnt what I have now told the reader, and much more,
with which I am about to make him acquainted.

When I recovered my senses, I found myself in the cabin of the
Sparrow-Hawk. For some hours I was confused and wandering, but I
rallied from time to time, till I could at last recognise the beams and
carlines over my head. I was too weak to move, and I continued to lie
on my back till I again fell asleep; how long I do not know, but it must
have been for many hours, and then when I awoke I found myself much
stronger.

I could now turn on my bed, and doing so I perceived a young man of the
name of Ingram by my side in a doze, with his eyes shut. I called him
in a faint voice, and he started up.

"I have been very ill," said I, "have I not?"

"Yes, Sir, indeed you have."

"I have been trying to recollect all about it, but I cannot as yet."

"It's not worth remembering, Sir," replied he. "Do you wish anything to
drink?"

"No," replied I.

"Then you had better go to sleep again."

"I cannot do that. I feel as if I should like to get up. Where is Mr
Thompson? I must see him."

"Mr Thompson, Sir," replied he; "don't you recollect?"

"What?"

"Why, Sir, he was bitten in two by a shark."

"Shark!" this was the ke