EXCITING ADVENTURE. 



197 



untouched ; on the following morning I sent Francis with the 

 lascar to bring in the goats. The lascar returned reporting 

 that both had been killed and carried off ; so after breakfast 

 I went down fully armed. As we approached the spot we 

 heard a curious hissing noise which I thought must be made 

 by a leopard. The blood of the goats were quite fresh, so I 





/ STARING AT HIM, AND HE GLARING AND GROWLING. 



fancied they had only been killed that morning. I took up 

 the track which was not easy to follow ; it led into the big 

 shola in the direction in which we had heard this peculiar 

 noise. We had no sooner entered, than a series of low deep 

 growls commenced close by, on our right. It seemed to 



