a huge panther, and a native about a hundred
yards before him rushing at headlong speed, bounding and springing
towards the river, while the panther with rapid leaps pursued its
hoped-for prey. Reginald ordered the men to paddle in towards the
shore, in the hope of rescuing the panting wretch from the jaws of the
panther. Just before they reached the bank, the native bounded into the
water, which rose up to his neck; but he was apparently too exhausted to
swim towards the canoe, though with imploring accents he entreated the
sahib to come to his rescue.

At that instant the dark snout of an enormous crocodile rose above the
surface--the saurian, to Reginald's horror, making its way towards the
struggling native.

"Crocodile! Crocodile!" shouted Reginald to the native; who, hearing
him, after a moment's hesitation rushed back towards the bank, thus
again facing the panther. The creature for a moment appeared
disconcerted at the sudden movement of its expected victim and the
approach of the canoe, towards which the man made a desperate spring;
but the savage panther, eager for its prey, at the same moment leaped
forward and seized the unhappy man by the leg, while Reginald grasped
his arm. At that instant the crocodile, which had retreated a short
distance, dashed up, and catching the miserable being--who gave vent to
the most fearful shrieks--by the other leg, with one snap of its jaws
bit it off.

In vain Reginald shouted to the crew to attack the creatures with their
oars. The cowardly wretches, instead of moving, shrank down at the
further end of the canoe; while the panther, peeling off the flesh of
the leg, reached at length the ankle, where with a horrid crunch it
severed the bone, and galloped away with the fearful mouthful.

Reginald drew the poor man--now quite senseless--into the canoe, and
endeavoured to stanch the blood flowing from his wounds by tourniquets,
formed of pieces of wood, round the upper parts of his legs; but his
efforts were in vain, and before the canoe reached the budgerow the man
was dead.

Continuing their course up the Ganges, visiting on their way several of
the numerous towns, temples, and ruins of various sorts which adorn its
banks, they at length landed, and continued their route by land. They
were now in a woody district, bordering the banks of a river, when
Captain Burnett's "shikaree wallah," or huntsman, informed them that it
abounded in tigers, and that if they wish