106 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
It happened that a Coorg horseman was passing 
near the spot,, when he was accosted by an interest- 
ing-looking girl, who told him a piteous story of having 
been robbed and maltreated, and besought his assist- 
ance in her difficulties. Excited by the appeal of a 
handsome woman in distress, he offered to take her 
behind him on his horse, and thus assist her a few 
miles on her journey. She readily assented to his 
proposal, with many protestations of gratitude, and 
immediately mounted. Having engaged the unsus- 
pecting traveller in conversation, she suddenly passed 
a noose over his head, and drawing it with all her 
strength, endeavoured to pull him from his saddle. At 
this moment a number of persons started from the 
neighbouring thicket and surrounded him. Being a 
man of great strength and resolution, he contrived to 
foil the diabolical designs of the robbers. Luckily, at 
the moment the noose was applied he was in the act 
of stooping his head, so that when the woman tight- 
ened the instrument of death it passed over his mouth 
instead of round his neck, and he seized it firmly 
between his teeth. The murderess, fancying she had 
sufficiently secured her victim, slipped from the horse ; 
but the Coorg, striking his heels into the animal’s 
flanks, it flung out its hind-legs with great vio- 
lence, struck to the ground the girl, who immediately 
relinquished the cord. The man, finding himself free, 
released his head from the noose, drew his sword, 
and cutting his way through the robbers, effected his 
escape. He wounded two of them severely. These 
men were shortly after taken, and through their 
means twelve others fell into the hands of the Coorg 
