28 IN THE INDIAN JUNGLE. 



" Thousand and One Nights." Could this be the 

 same cave in which Aladdin was shut up by the 

 cruel magician ? And were all those diamonds and 

 rubies and emeralds, within my reach ? It only 

 wanted a Genius of the Ring to complete the illu- 

 sion. Great Heavens ! What was that ? A dis- 

 tinct hiss as of a cat, and then in the distance a 

 gigantic cat itself. As I looked it appeared to grow 

 in size and swell to enormous dimensions. A veri- 

 table Genius, and this the enchanted cave ! With 

 my heart in my mouth, I hurried back to the mound 

 in the centre of the shaft, and shouted to Permal to 

 join me and bring my gun with him. I had now 

 time to collect my thoughts and try to work out 

 some explanation of this strange adventure. Ex- 

 perience had long ago taught me that diamonds, 

 rubies, and emeralds are never found together in 

 their natural state, and I was also aware that these 

 gems do not reflect light or sparkle to any extent in 

 their uncut condition. Perhaps it might be a mica 

 mine, and the light be reflected from flakes of that 

 mineral. But what about the monstrous cat ? 

 Was that the result of imagination, or stern reality ? 

 There was no mistaking the hiss and growl, which 

 again emanated from a far corner of the mine 

 on our throwing a stone in that direction. Permal 

 at once declared that he could smell tiger. He 

 kept sniffing about, and said, " Ullee, davaru (tiger, 

 my lord)." The strange sparkles of light still kept 

 twinkling around, as if innumerable stars were set 

 in the walls. I noticed, however, that, if we 

 attempted to move, thus agitating the air, the 



