Her sails were also torn, her mainmast and maintopsail yard and foreyard a good deal injured. Yet though she had received these serious damages aloft, strange to say one man alone of her crew had been slightly injured.

"We must repair damages, lads, and then go and look after the enemy," cried the commander.

The guns being run in and secured, every officer, man, and boy, set to work, the commander with the rest. In a wonderfully short time the standing rigging was knotted or spliced, fresh running rigging rove, new sails bent, and the Lily was standing in the direction in which her late antagonist had some time before disappeared.

Not long after, however, the man at the masthead discovered a large ship on the lee beam in the direction of Guadaloupe. The Lily at once steered towards th stranger, when in the afternoon she came up with a vessel under French colours, which endeavoured to escape. Several shots were fired. The stranger sailed on.

She looks like an English ship," observed the commander. "It will never do to let her get away. See what you can do, Crofton."

Oliver went forward and trained the foremost gun. He fired, and down came the stranger's maintopsail yard. On this she hauled down her colours and hove to. She proved to be, as the commander had supposed, a large English merchantman, a prize to the French frigate. The prisoners were at once removed, and the second lieutenant sent with a prize crew on board, when the Lily took her in tow. The wind was light, but a heavy swell sent the prize several times almost aboard the corvette, which was at length compelled to cast her adrift.

The next morning the look-out from the masthead of the Lily announced a sail on the lee bow. In a short time, daylight increasing, she was seen to be a frigate, and no doubt her late antagonist. Captain Saltwell at once bore down on her, making a signal to the prize to do so likewise and at the same time running up several signals as if speaking another ship to windward.

On this the frigate, making all sail, stood away, and as she had the heels boh of the Lily and her prize, was soon out of sight.

Captain Saltwell, satisfied as he had every reason to be with his achievement, ordered the course to be shaped for Jamaica.

On his arrival he found his commission as post captain waiting for him. He had won it by constant and hard service.

"As I cannot reward you for the gallant way in which you beat off the French frigate and recaptured the merchant ship worth several thousand pounds, I must see what can be done for your first lieutenant," said the admiral. "I will apply for his promotion, and in the meantime will give him au acting order to command the Lily, and to take her home."

Captain Saltwell, thanking the admiral. expressed his intention to take a passage in his old ship.

The news quickly spread fore and aft that the Lily was to be sent home. Loud cheers rose from many a stout throat, the invalids, of which there were not a few, joining in the chorus from below. Onethird of those who had come out had either fallen fighting in the many actions in which she had been engaged, or, struck down by

yellow fever, lay in the graveyard of Port Royal. No time was lost in getting fresh water and provisions on board. Never did crew work with more good will than they did on this occasion.

The Lily was soon ready for sea, and with a fair breeze ran out of Port Royal harbour. The war was still raging as furiously as ever, and the officers and crew well knew that before they could reach the shores of old England they might have another battle or two to fight. Perhaps, in their heart of hearts, they would have preferred, for once in a way, a peaceful voyage. A look-out, however, was kept, but the Atlantic was crossed, and the chops of the Channel reached, without meeting a foe. Here the Lily encountered a strong easterly gale, and in vain for many days endeavoured to beat up to her destination.

Having sighted Scilly, she was standing off the laud, from which she was at a considerable distance under close-re-fed topsails, when the wind suddenly dropped, and soon afterwards shifted to the southwards. The helm was put down, and the crew flew aloft to shake out the reefs.

They were thus engaged when a sail was seen to the south-east. The Lily, standing on the opposite tack, rapidly neared her. Every glass on board was directed towards the stranger. She was a sh p apparently of much the same size as the Lily, but whether an English cruiser or an enemy it was difficult to determine.

The Lily, by keeping away, might have weathered the Lizard and avoided her. Such an idea did not enter the young commander's head. On the contrary, he kept the ship close to the wind, so that by again going about he might prevent the stranger from passing him.

His glass had never been off her. Suddenly he exclaimed, "Hurrah! she's French. I caught sight of her flag as she luffed up! Hands about ship! We'll fight her, Captain Saltwell?" he added, turning to his former commander.

"No doubt about it," said Captain Saltwell. 'I should if I were in your place." The drum beat to quarters, the crew hurried to their stations, and every preparation was made for the expected battle. The stranger, after standing on some way, hauled up, so as to keep the weather-gauge, and, at the same time, to draw the Lily farther away from the English coast.

Once more the latter tacked, and passing under the stranger's stern, poured in a raking broadside.

The stranger, coming about, returned the fire, but as the shot flew from her guns down came her mizenmast, aud she fell off before the wind.

The crew of the Lily cheered, and running in their guns, quickly fired a third broadside.

The two ships now ran on side by side, Rayner having shortened sail so as to avoid shooting ahead of his antagonist. Notwithstanding the loss of their mizenmast, the Frenchmen fought with spirit for some time, but their fire at length began to slacken, while the British seamen continued to work their guns with the same energy as at first.

Rayner now ordered the mizen topsail and spanker to be set, and directed the crews of the starboard guns to refrain from firing until he should give the word; then Lutting down the helm, he suddenly luffed up, and stood across the bows of his opponent.

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Fire!" he cried; and gun after gun

was fired in succession, the shot telling with fearful effect as they swept the deck of the French ship. The latter put down her helm in a vain attempt to avoid being raked, but her bowsprit catching in the mizen rigging of the Lily, Oliver, calling to Jack and several other men, securely lashed it there, in spite of the fire which the marines from the enemy's forecastle opened on him and his companions. The bullets from the Frenchmen's muskets came rattling sharply on board. Two of the seamen were hit and just at the same moment their young commander was seen to fall. A midshipman and the purser, who were standing by his side, caught him in their arms. (To be continued.)

JACK AND JOHN:

Their Friends and their Fortunes.
BY MRS. EILoart,

Author of "Ernie Elton,"" Tom Dunstone's Troubles," "Archie Blake," etc.

CHAPTER XLII.-MRS. PIPKINS THINKS JOHN TOO CONSIDERATE BY FAR.

YRAGGS, the fisherman, was very much

surprised, though not so unpleasantly as Dick and Peter had been, when Jack and John walked into his cottage, and asked if he could give them any news of Enoch. He at all events did not take them for ghosts, but informed them that, as John had expected, Enoch, when he went up to London, had left the key of his house with him.

"An' what he went up to London for is what nobody could tell," said the old man, "unless it was that he was clean daft through trouble. He said he'd take Jenny Flint to look after the little 'un, but folks said he wanted a deal more lookin' after himself, an' he left the key with me, but said he didn't know when he should have the heart to come near the place agin."

John went into his house, and Craggs came with some firewood, and there being a small stock of coal in the cupboard that did duty as a cellar, they soon had a good fire, for the place looked damp and cheerless, and John felt low-spirited as he thought of Enoch and his distress about him. Mrs. Carstone must soon return to her farm, as she had so much property to look after, but there was no knowing when they should see or hear anything of Enoch. Jack and he sat by the fire and talked matters over, and at last, when they could find nothing more to talk about, went to bed, and slept till late in the morning.

When John got up he expected, as a matter of course, to have to light his fire and get his breakfast ready; but he found all that done ready for him, and a loaf and butter on the table, coffee ready for boiling, and herrings prepared for toasting, and a tidy-looking woman, with Devonshire roses blooming in her pleasant face, bustling about and making things comfortable. It was one of the neighbours, Mrs. Pipkins, who had come in to do these good offices, and she greeted John warmly when she saw him. Welcome back, young Mr. Morton. The place hasn't looked like itself since you've bin away. Craggs told me you'd come, an' I thought I'd just step in and make matters straight for you. Now, do'ee sit down, do'ee, an' eat a good breakfast. I dare say you haven't had your comforts regler while you've been away."

"We haven't had many such breakfasts as this, that's very certain," said John; "and it's very good of you, Mrs. Pipkins,

to take so much care of us." Then he called Jack, and while they breakfasted, Mrs. Pipkins went into the bedroom and made it comfortable for them.

"It's no work," she said, when John remonstrated with her; "it's a real pleasure to have you back agin to do for." Presently Mrs. Pipkins went out to give an eye to her own domestic arrangements, but she came back after a few minutes looking quite radiant, as if she had heard the best news possible. "It isn't manners," she said, " 'young Mr. Morton, to wish you hadn't come back to your own, but if you could have stayed away another month or So, till the 'sizes were over, and them villins had been well punished, it would have been a rare good thing for all parties."

Jack and John stared in bewilderment, and Mrs. Pipkins went on in explanation. Dick Harden has gone and given himself up for murderin' on ye by cuttin' the rope that fastened your boat, an' Peter Potts is had up too, an' they've been all night in the lock-up, an' they're going before the magistrates this mornin', an it's like they'll be committed for trial. An' if you and Master Carstone, young Mr. Morton, had only stopped away a little longer, as like as not the place would have been well rid of them."

Only to think of that Dick being such a fool!" cried Jack. "Well, I did give the fellow credit for more sense than that."

"We must set this to rights at once," said John. "Where are the magistrates sitting? At the "

"Oh, don't ye hurry, don't ye hurry," cried Mrs. Pipkins. "I begin to wish I hadn't told ye. Let them have a taste o' prison. That Peter's been ready enough to send others there; an' when they're laid by they'll be kept out of mischief for a time, and can't be spitin' decent people. I wouldn't say hang' em downright," added Mrs. Pipkins, thoughtfully; "but I think a taste o' prison would do 'em a power o' good."

"Still, I don't suppose they meant to murder us," said John;" and as to cutting the rope, it was an ill-natured thing, certainly; but I think the night in the lockup and the fright may pay for that."

"They stole your crabs," said Mrs. Pipkins. They deserve something for that."

"Well, we stole their supper," replied John; "at least, we helped ourselves to it as some recompense for the crabs, so I don't think we must say very much on that score. No, Jack, I really think we must put off going to the farm till the afternoon, and let the magistrates see that we haven't been murdered after all."

"Couldn't they wait till to-morrow?" asked Jack. "It does seem such a pity they shouldn't have another night in the lock-up."

"So it do-so it do," said Mrs. Pipkins, approvingly. "You're a deal too easy wi' em, young Mr. Morton. I'd give them

twelve months if I'd my way on'y for cuttin' the rope an' stealin' the crabs."

'No, Jack," said John, decidedly; we really must show ourselves, and let these fellows be set free. So come with me to the Court House at Northcombe at once." "If I'd known," said Mrs. Pipkins, as she looked after them, "I'd have said never a word till they two beauties were safe in prison agin. Or I'd have left young Mr. Morton to have found it out for himself if I'd known he'd been so tender on they villins. I wish I'd kept quiet about it; but it did seem such rare good news, an' how could I tell they'd take it in this way?"

CHAPTER XLIII.-JACK AND JOHN ARE THOUGHT TO HAVE RETURNED TOO SOON, AND DICK FINDS HE HAS BEEN RATHER TOO CLEVER.

PETER and Dick had passed a very uncomfortable night, and made a very bad breakfast, and they were not in the best of tempers when summoned before the justices. Dick began to think that it might have been better even to have been haunted by ghosts than to give himself up to be hanged, but persisted in his resolution that if he was hung Peter should keep him company. As the justices happened to be sitting that day in the Court House there was more publicity about the matter than if they had simply gone to the private house of any one of them, and their appearance was made the signal of a general hooting and hissing, which the constables had some difficulty to restrain.

The justices were a little puzzled-not an uncommon thing for country justices. Dick's cutting the rope could not be construed into murder, and yet the two boys had been drowned through his doing so. There was a felonious intent, one of them said, with an idea that he was using a very long word, and looking very wise while he said it; but whether that involved murder he did not seem quite clear. There was no doubt that Peter had stolen the crabs, Dick's evidence was conclusive on that point; besides there was the confirmatory evidence of several of the neighbours that Dick and Peter had had an excellent supper of hot crabs at the residence of the former on the

night in question, and that Peter had boasted of it the next day, and said that the young rascals who caught the crabs little knew whom they were getting them for.

Everybody evidently hoped that Dick and Peter would be committed, and the magis. trates seemed to feel that they ought to oblige them, but were not quite clear bow far they could do so. The end of it was that Peter and Dick were ordered to be committed to prison on a charge of serious misdemeanour for cutting the rope of a certain boat, whereby the lives of Jolm Carstone and John Morton were placed in imminent peril, etc., etc.

Peter murmured at this. He had not cut the rope, and had told Dick he had better let it alone; and then, finding murmers were useless, he used more violent language, at which the public in general laughed, and the magistrates looked contemptuously indifferent. The two were just about to be led off when Jack and John made their appearance in court, and some few of the people present recognised them.

"I've got something to say on the prisoners' behalf," said Jack, and the justices and the clerk turned towards him. "They cut the rope, that's certain," continued Jack, by all I've heard; but no great har happened, for here we are, both of us."

The little villins! I said the sa wouldn't hold 'em!" snarled Peter; "and I knew," he added, triumphantly, "they was no ghostes that eat my stewed hare last night."

Dick looked at them as if he could hardly yet believe they were really living and as if he did not know whether to be glad or sorry. Then he burst forth, "It's just of a piece with their wickedness. They've been hidin' all this time o' purpose come back an' terrify me out of my wits."

Everybody in the court looked really sorry to see Jack and John again. They liked the boys, but if they could only have kept out of the way till Peter and Dick had had at least a taste of prison, to say nothing of anything worse, what a good thing it would have been!

But there really seemed nothing but to let Peter and Dick go free, though a voice from the crowd shouted, "How about they crabs ?" and the town clerk asked John whether his friend and he had any intention to press that charge; but Jack replied that he thought they had pretty well settled that last night when they helped themselves to Peter's supper, and being asked for an explanation, gave one in such a style that every one but John, whose gravity seemed every day growing greater, was convulsed with laughter. Then Peter and Dick were allowed to go, but they found themselves the heroes of the hour, for every one in Northcombe followed them, and seemed to have something to say about Jack and John and the crabs, till s last Peter, fairly beside himself, called fly that was passing, and jumping in, told the man to drive him up to his own hous at once, and then turned from the carriage and grinned, and shook his fist at his

tormentors.

That did not make matters very much better. They ran after him as the fy drove on, shouting and hurrahing, and they never left him till they saw him st his own door, and inside it in fact, whe with a parting hoot they bade him adie But Peter's troubles were not yet over. In his haste to escape from the crowd be had forgotten to pay the flyman, and wher the flyman saw that the crowd had gone he made a strong application to Peter for his fare.

Peter flung him half-a-crown but as the flyman had been kept waiting nearly an hour, first by the crowd, and thea

A NIGHT IN A CEYLON JUNGLE. BY AN OLD WESTMINSTER BOY.

IN

N the district of Pussellawa, not six miles from the village of that name, and within three of the Peacock Mountain, are large belts of jungle running up ravines and between patnas, or cultivated grounds, near the Ganga

River.

A Ceylon Forest.

mensely, as the work is wholly out of doors, and exclusively confined to coffee growing. Most exciting it is to find your way through interminable forests, amid uninterrupted silence, gun in hand, on the look-out for game of any kind, from small birds to elephants.

Regarding elephants, a popular idea in England is, that you cannot walk out in Ceylon without meeting them. It may be well to mention, therefore, that they are found almost exclusively in the low country about Trincomalee, Galle, or Negumbo, whereas in such a place as Neura Ellia, you no more see one than you would at home.

It was one Saturday, about three o'clock, after finishing the day's work (by mustering and "knocking off" the coolies), when it occurred to me to indulge a great longing to explore the belts of jungle I have already mentioned.

So putting on gaiters to keep off leeches (one of the chief pests of the island, which swarm in the grass), and a very thick pair of boots, I filled some pockets with cartridges, stuck a revolver in my belt, and, gun in hand, started The scenery in this part of the island of Cey-off without my usual companions, two deerlon is peculiarly wild, an especial feature of what is termed up-country, or land lying some 2,500 to 3,000 feet above the sea level.

hounds, as I wished to enjoy the scene entirely alone. I struck down a small path leading from my bungalow, which I knew would take

the wild country, and shooting some kingfishers, which are quite as large as crows, and of the most indescribably vivid colours.

The direction the villagers pointed out was a sort of track, leading through tropical foliage such as I had never before seen.

Why they called it a path at all I cannot say, except that some few natives had gone through it at some time or other.

The Singalese always travel in Indian file (one behind another in long line), and the fact of ten or twelve of them walking, or rather wading, through huge twining creepers and grass some eight feet high, would constitute what they term a path.

Here were denizens of the forest, immense banyan-trees some twenty feet in girth, and all of whose branches had long pendants, taking fresh root in the ground, sending out new shoots, cocoa-nut palms, mango-trees, sappoos, plantains, in the most romantic confusion, and Ceylon vines hanging down like ropes from the top branches of the very highest trees.

The undergrowth was composed of huge ferns, wait-a-bit, thorns, ground creepers, cutch-grass, carpet-like moss, dead leaves, and dry sticks, among all of which snakes and leeches are most unpleasantly common.

The snakes usually glide out of your way, but not so the leeches, which e largish darkbrown brutes, sticking to the patna grass by one end of their bodies, keeping the other in readiness to fasten upon anything that passes. They will get through the thickest trousers and socks easily, and then extract a large quantity of blood, not felt at the time, but afterwards causing a great deal of pain if you get many on at the same time. A leech-bite makes a nasty wound to heal, and is rather given to festering.

The natives, in order to ward off leeches when going through jungle, anoint their legs with Margoza oil; and to avoid the danger of snakes, are accustomed to go in single file, the front man of the gang shaking a sort of rattle attached to the end of a long stick.

While threading my way through, under, and over a perfect network of foliage, I dropped my gun, and no one who has not seen a tropical jungle could believe the trouble such an accident may give for although knowing almost to a square yard where to look, it took me more than twenty minutes to find my weapon of defence again.

It was just after this happened that I heard a slight rustling near at hand, and saw indistinctly three buffaloes making off.

My double-barrel being only a smooth-bore gun, and not a rifle, it would have been useless and dangerous to fire, because these brutes, if wounded, become most ferocious, and will face almost anything.

Going on a little farther, I now saw the river for the first time, close below me, foaming and roaring over granite boulders and huge trunks of trees, on its way to Ramboddee.

By a succession of jumps I got down to a sort of beach, between two rocks, where the river took a curve round from right to left, so that all the force of the current was against the opposite bank, while on this one the water was comparatively shallow and calm.

I stood quite still for at least ten minutes gazing on the mighty stream; when presently, looking down, what should I see at my very feet but the unmistakable footprints of a very big cheetah! There they were, clear and large, with slight indentations of its claws even; and that the marks were quite recently made was certain, because the water was seen only just beginning to ooze through the sand into the deep impressions the brute had left. I now thought of going on, knowing it would be necessary to skirt the river's edge for some miles before I could reach an open bit of patna, up which to strike.

After going a little way the river curved and became deep at the edge itself, for the beach ended where I then stood.

My only mode of proceeding was to step from stone to stone beneath overhanging trees and creepers.

It was now six o'clock; just the time for game of every sort to drink before sundown, so pressed on as well as I could. After trudging, or rather fighting my way through the dense underwood for about nine miles, I did not feel very fresh.

The birds on the river were well worth seeing. Sultans, kingfishers, herons, bitterns, the Ceylon lotus bird, and tiny copper-coloured hummingbirds sparkling in the now setting sun. I felt so tired, and the scene was so bewilderingly beautiful, that I sat down on a boulder to watch the river and the setting sun. Looking back, both the river and sky were one mass of rose colour, with clouds drifting through bright orange and crimson. A more lonely place could not well be imagined the river shut in by its two banks, both over 500 feet high, entirely jungle-clad, and excluding all further view of the country, because it curves round out of sight above and below, and is lost among the distant purple trees.

I sat down on that boulder a long time, gazing first at the sky, then at the river, and thought of Old England, of my people at home, of birds, of bathing, and of what a taking picture the scene that lay before me would make, until roused from my reverie by the sun's sinking

quite down out of sight, and the trees settling themselves into a warm lilac shade, while everything grew darker and darker minute by

minute.

I then gave up hopes of coming upon any opening, so turned my back upon the river, and climbing through a banyan-tree started boldly up the hill. Now, however, that it was already nearly dark, my troubles began, for the moon was not due to rise until one a.m.

It was not a very pleasant journey to begin, as, in the dim, fast fading light, all the vines and creepers hanging down from the tree-tops looked like huge pythons, and the thought of snakes made me so nervous that I tapped constantly the roots and leaves in front before stepping upon them.

There seemed to be no such thing as ground. I walked on a succession of tree-roots most of the time, and when missing my footing found myself waist, and sometimes almost neck, high in underwood, consisting of sharp sword-grass, jungle ferns, wild cardamoms, dead sticks and leaves, until I thought of sitting down on the next large root to be found, and there waiting for the morning.

After a very little time it became pitch darkno moon, not a star to be seen; nothing but fire-flies shining out against the dark cocoa-nut trees, with now and then some glow-worms on the dry sticks.

The place seemed to become steeper and denser every minute, and I determined to climb the next large tree that would afford a restingplace, but all the trees seemed to have more or less straight stems, and I did not relish the idea of finding a cheetah upon them, to say nothing of tree leopards, snakes, or monkeys.

However, I could not go on struggling in the dark continually, so at last sat down to rest for a little and recover my breath, for I was puffing and gasping, hot and tired, not knowing what to do, and so thirsty that I would gladly have given my gun for a glass of water.

I had told the friend whose bungalow I shared that he would see me again at dinnertime, but it was now far past dinner hour, and I was some eight miles from home as the crow flies, while about five ravines with wooded sides lay between me and the bungalow.

The silence was something to fill the mind with awe-not a breath, not a sound-even the roar of the river was inaudible; the whole aspect of the place suggested one's being left alone with nature.

In this great solitude I lay down with my head resting on the stock of my gun, and seemed to fancy, with the poet, that I could distinguish the music of the spheres, until I fell almost asleep.

While thus dozing a cold perspiration presently burst out upon my forehead, and in a moment I sprang to my feet as I suddenly felt gliding over my hand the cold slimy body of a snake. Yes, it was no dream, for cocking my gun in an instant and aiming at the place, I fired, and by the short bright flash of the gunpowder distinctly saw the horrid black and white spotted body of the deadly carawella, that snake which kills more of the unfortunate barefooted natives of Ceylon than all the other serpents put together, including the cobra di capello.

The cobra frequents bungalows, and is generally found in old covered drains, whereas the carawella conceals itself in tops of shrubs and round small trees, just in the very place where one is apt to put one's hand.

Its not biting me is easily accounted for, as I was lying quite still when the venomous brute was crawling right between my fingers, and I pulled away my hand so quickly that it had not time to inflict a wound.

In the flurry I doubtless missed the reptile, but whether it were alive or dead, I was not game to stay there any longer, so scrambled accordingly on over large blocks of granite here strewn about and making progress still more difficult. Mouuting a huge slab, I was most heartily thankful to see what appeared an opening in the forest, and such it proved.

I had at last scrambled to the top, and then fairly ran through the long grass of the patna

in my eagerness to look down the next ravine; but there it was again just what I had expected, jungle, jungle, another two miles of it, to the summit of the next hill.

Why the jungle of matted trees does not grow on the crest of these hills I do not know, but the sides are invariably covered with it-in fact it seems only to grow in the steepest places and close by water.

I now set to work with my hunting-knife to cut down the grass in order to make myself a sort of bed to sleep on, although I heard the howling of jackals more or less all around; but I was too tired and footsore to care for these cowardly brutes, who will seldom attack any thing that is not already half dead, and even then only when about a hundred to one.

I lay down in the dewy grass, not without certain misgivings as to fever and ague next morning, and was trying to keep off the mos quitos, when I saw a light apparently on the opposite hill, but as it was on the other side of the river I did not think it could be much good

to me.

It was fully five miles off, and kept moving about. At last, after watching and losing sight of it every few minutes, I fired off my gun, and thought I heard an answer, but as the answer came so very soon after my shot, and the Peacock Mountain lay opposite, I concluded it was only an echo.

I then fired my other barrel, but did not hear any reply or echo this time, so gave a prolonged cooey (a loud, long-drawn sort of y and distinctly heard it answered, without chance of being deceived by any echo, because we invariably employ a different cooey when replying to any cooey heard, as the country is so moun tainous and echoes are common. We mutually kept this up for some time, yelling and answer ing one another until the light moved up and down, then disappeared.

The air seemed to become colder and colder, until resting longer on the ground was impos sible, so up I got (cold as ice, and stinging all over from mosquito bites), then looked anxiously at the place in the sky where the moon would eventually rise, but no sign of light was yet to be seen. Feeling somewhat rested, I shouldered the gun and made a push on, but had not gone many yards before I lost my footing on a slab of granite concealed by tall grass, and fell heavily on the small of my back, shaking myself severely, and again dropping my gun, I could not tell where.

There was no help for it now but to stay where I was until the moon rose or some one came to assist me. All my bones ached to such an extent that even lying down caused pain, and my ankle proved to be so badly sprained by this last fall that an effectual stop was put to my walking up and down to get warm. In this exhausted state I must once more have fallen half asleep, for I have some recollection of dreaming something about snakes and cheetahs, and cold water down my back, and some one crying for help in the most unearthly shrieks.

These last awoke me, and something more real than a dream appeared, when, sitting up the first thing that caught my eyes was a light accompanied by a weird Singalese cooey, which I kept on answering. More lights appeared, more cooeys followed, then laughing and a crashing of branches, and, lastly, no less than fifteen natives, with lanterns and dogs, and carrying spears, as well as a sort of litter. Breaking through the high grass, they began interrogating me as to whether the thurai" (master) was hurt.

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I told them about my gun, so all set to wek to hunt with their lights, and found it. W their help I struggled up and up the pa until I declared I could not move another step. Mounting me on the hurdle brought, they carried me the rest of the way home; up steep inclines, through jungle, over streams and river and marsh, chattering and laughing and joking in the most jovial manner, and never resting once.

This journey must have lasted three hours, as the moon rose just after they found me, and by the time I had got to my bungalow it wanted