carefully examining the caps by the light of the torch, to satisfy himself that they had not been injured by the damp-" you had better not lag so far behind as you did just now, for the Jaggardar tells me that this ravine is dreadfully infested by tigers; and if we fall in with one of these fly-by-night gentlemen, retiring to his lair with an empty stomach, you will find it rather a more serious business than hearing the Banshee, although you appear to think that bad enough."

"Bad enough, bad enough, indeed," muttered the poor Doctor, plying the spurs vigorously, and urging the unwilling Smiler into a trot.

The party had proceeded about a quarter of a mile, and had reached a turn in the road, which, being overhung by a dense mass of trees, was so intensely dark, that, without the assistance of the torch, the horsemen could not have seen their own length in front of them, when the Doctor's horse, which as usual had fallen behind the rest, suddenly stopped short, and, uttering a loud snort, began to tremble violently, as if overcome by mortal fear.

"Captain! Captain!" shouted the Doctor, plying his stick furiously in the vain attempt to make Smiler move, "Ah, Captain, for ony sake come here the beast surely sees something uncanny, for he'll no stir an inch, in spite o' me!" and again a shower of blows descended upon poor Smiler's sounding ribs.

Mansfield and Charles, who were a little in advance, immediately pulled up; but ere they could turn their horses' heads, a terrific roar was heard a crash-a wild scream of agony-and the ill-starred Doctor, with the struggling horse, were borne to the earth by some heavy body, which, flashing for an instant in the torch-light, darted from the bank above with the velocity of a thunderbolt.

It was too dark to, distinguish objects on the ground; but it was evident, from the violent struggle which ensued, and the piteous moaning of the poor horse, that he was trying to free himself from the grasp of some powerful animal.

"Bagh! Bagh!"* shouted the Jaggardar, hurling his torch in the direction from whence the sound proceeded.

"Here, Kamah, hold this beast," cried Mansfield, jumping from his terrified horse, and throwing the reins to the Jaggardar; as, by the faint light of the expiring torch, he discovered a Panther clinging to the prostrate body of the horse, with his teeth and claws firmly fixed in the throat of the dying animal, who had now almost ceased to struggle, and drew his breath in thick gasping sobs, as the throttling savage, with a malignant growl of satisfaction, sucked the warm blood from his ebbing veins.

"This is a bad light," said Mansfield, shaking his head, and recovering the rifle, which he had brought to his shoulder, the flame of the torch. having sunk so low, as to render surrounding objects almost invisible. "I wish to Heaven it would blaze up again, and allow me to see whereabouts the poor Doctor lies, for I have as good a chance of hitting him as the Panther, if I risk a shot in the dark. Ha! that will do." A sudden gust of wind fanned the expiring torch into a bright flame, lighting up the ghastly scene with more brilliancy than ever. The Panther, startled by the sudden light, quitted his hold of the horse, and,

* Bagh a tiger.

grinning fiercely, shrunk into a crouching attitude, as if undecided whether to spring on his assailant or fly.

"Now, then, you snarling devil!" muttered Mansfield, laying his cheek against the stock of his rifle, with as much cool deliberation as if he were about to fire at a mark; but ere he had brought the fine-drawn sight to bear upon its object, a convulsive kick from the dying horse struck the fiery end of the torch, and sent it flying, among the bushes; the air was filled with a shower of glittering sparks, and again all was darkness.

"A spear! a spear!" shouted Mansfield, mad with disappointment, throwing aside his rifle, and snatching at a spear, which Charles carried in his hand. "Quick, man, before he moves! I can pin him to the ground where he lies.-Ha! who fired that shot?"

A bright flash-a sharp report—the whistle of a bullet-and then a gasping bubbling sound, was heard, as of an animal stifling in his own blood.

"Hurra!" shouted the Doctor, from amidst the gloom; the unexpected but welcome cheer coming to the ears of his companions like a voice from the dead. "Hurra, lads! he's dead, he's dead!—Come here, some o' you; for ony sake, come here and help me to get my leg out from below the horse, for it's amaist smashed. This way, this way! ye needna be 'feard; I've dang the life out o' him fairly. What do you think of the auld Doctor, noo?" exclaimed Macphee, brandishing, with a triumphant air, a huge horse-pistol, as Mansfield and Charles busied themselves in extricating him from under the dead horse. "Was na that weel done, Captain ?-Easy! easy wi' me, lads, for I'm that sair birzed wi' yesterday's work, that I canna thole to be touched, amaist. Wasna that weel done, I say, sir? Od, ye hae often laughed at my old grandfather's pistol, but I telt you it would come to use some day or other, and sae it has, at last. O, man, but I'm stiff!" continued he, as he got upon his legs, with the assistance of his two companions, and seated himself on a bank.

"By Heavens, it was well done!" exclaimed Mansfield, grasping the Doctor's hand with enthusiasm; for he was really attached to the worthy man, and his heart was filled with gratitude to Heaven for his wonderful escape, and admiration of the unwonted spirit he displayed on the occasion. "Well done, and coolly, as any thing I ever saw. Why, Doctor, you have come out quite in a new character-a very dare-devil; but, as you say, it was fortunate for you, and, indeed, for all of us, that you had the old pistol at hand, and presence fof mind to use it; for, to tell you the truth, when the light was extinguished, I began to have rather unpleasant forebodings, as to the termination of our adventure."

"Faith, ye may say that," replied the Doctor: "I was sae dumbfoundered, and taken by surprise at first, when I found mysel' sprawling on the ground, like a cripple puddock, and heard the worry, worry o' the bloodthirsty deevle, as he rugged and rived at poor Smiler's throat, that I just gied mysel' up for lost-and, then that awfu' cry we heard the now came into my mind. Ye needna laugh, sir, for I tell ye there was something no canny in that cry; and I thought my hour was come, and then I prayed for mercy on my sinfu' soul;-and wi' that, I appeared

to get new strength and courage,-and then I minded o' the auld pistol I had put in the holster; and the wee drap Heeland blood I hae in my veins began to boil; and, says I to mysel', D-n you, for a muckle girnin cat! I'm a match for ye yet! And, wi' that, I lifted mysel' cannily on my elbow, and whippit the pistol out o' the holster, and clappit it to his lug, and dang the life out o' him afore he had time to wink. Ha! ha! Captain, you see there is some good stuff in the auld Doctor, yet; although I maun confess, my nerves rather got the better o' me yesterday. But that was a' the effects o' the Glenlivet, ye ken-Eh, Captain?" and the worthy Doctor grinned, and rubbed his hands with evident satisfaction.

"Tut, tut! never mind what happened yesterday," said Mansfield encouragingly; "you have behaved like a man this morning, at all events, and so let byganes be byganes, as you say yourself. But are you not hurt?—I am sure you got a terrible roll."

Hoot, fie, no!" replied the Doctor, "I came down in a fine saft place, amang the lang grass; but I'm so cursedly warped in the back, after yesterday's toolzie, that the shake I got has just put me a wee throughother, and gart me feel faint-like about the heart. Maister Charles, if ye will just be good enough to look in the other holster, and gie me a wee bit flask ye'll find there, I think a drap out o' it will maybe do me good. The horse-pistol has done us a good turn already, and now we'll try what effect the pocket-pistol will hae-Ha! ha! ha! Captain."-Here the Doctor chuckled, and poked Mansfield facetiously in the ribs, "You see I'm an old soldier, and aye march with twa pistols -ane for my enemies, and anither for my friends. Here, sir, tak a sup o't-it will warm your heart this cold morning."

The dew having fallen so heavily during the night, as almost to wet through their thin clothing, neither Mansfield nor Charles made any objection to the Doctor's proposal; and Charles, who was blessed with a youthful appetite, that never failed him under any circumstances, having produced some biscuits and a piece of cold venison, from the holsters of his saddle, our three friends seated themselves on the grass; and the energy with which the worthy Doctor applied himself to gnawing the bones, after having whetted his appetite by a hearty pull at his pocket-pistol, proved that, however stiff his other joints might be, his jaws, at least, had escaped uninjured.

Day had, in the mean time, been rushing on with that rapidity peculiar to a tropical climate, where light succeeds darkness almost instantaneously; and, ere their hasty meal was finished, nature burst into life; and the glorious sun, rising in fiery splendour, poured a flood of golden light into that sequestered valley-the gloomy mountain-pass, which, an hour before, in the darkness and silence of night, appeared a fitting haunt for prowling beasts and birds of evil omen, now smiling in all the luxuriant beauty of oriental scenery. The woods, sparkling with dewdrops, festooned with beautiful flowering creepers, and echoing to the tender cooing of turtle-doves; birds of gorgeous plumage, wheeling, in joyous gambles, amongst the lofty tree-tops; the balmy morning air, loaded with perfume, and breathing melody, all conspired to soothe and calm the ruffled spirits, to soften one's very nature, and make the most careless observer, in his inmost heart, acknowledge and worship the Almighty Power, which had given birth to so much beauty,

"What a Heavenly scene is this!" exclaimed Charles, after gazing for some minutes in silent admiration.

"It is, indeed, a Heavenly scene," replied Mansfield; " and yet how treacherous are its beauties !-How strange the thought, that this lovely spot should be the chosen haunt of wild beasts-its perfumed atmosphere a compound of deadly vapours; looking an earthly Paradise, yet teeming with pestilence and death, like a lovely woman, with the exterior of an angel, cherishing a demon in her heart! Methinks a group of dancing wood-nymphs would form an appropriate foreground to such a picture; and yet, behold the stern reality-a band of armed men-a naked savage, but one degree removed from the beasts that perish! Mangled carcasses-death in its most ghastly form, and the steam of reeking gore, ascending to Heaven, mingled with the incense of flowers! How forcibly doth such a contrast as this bring to one's recollection the melancholy truth, that fallen man has brought sin and death into

the world!"

"Indeed, sir, what you say is o'er true. It's just a mischancey bit, this same glen; and, bonny though it be, I wish we were well out o' it; for, after what we hae heard this blessed morning, it were a mere tempting o' Providence to bide here ony longer. And, oh, sir," casting a rueful glance at the mangled remains of poor Smiler, "is it no a sair sight to look at that poor beast lying cold and stiff there, and the bonny green grass steepit in his blood, and the sun shining sae bright, and the bit birdies singing sae blythe and happy, as if there was nae such thing as death in the world? And it would be just the same, though you or me were lying there in his place.-Poor Smiler-poor Smiler; ye were a good honest beast, although a wie short in the temper, like myself. But you and me will never cast out nae mair." And the poor Doctor, drawing the back of his large hand across his eyes, pulled a flint and steel from his pocket, and proceeded to strike a light for his cheroot, humming, as he did so, a melancholy Scotch ditty, which, if not the original tune the old cow is said to have died of, was certainly a very good imitation.

'Well, Doctor, you certainly are an unlucky dog in some things," said Charles, smiling at the Doctor's rueful countenance; "and I must say that, of late, you have come in for monkey's allowance, or worse;

but if you do get into scrapes, it must be allowed you have a wonderful knack of getting out of them again. Just look back to the last fourand-twenty hours: within that short space of time, you have been at the killing of a tiger on foot; have had an elephant playing at pitchand-hustle with your unfortunate carcass; and taken the scalp of a panther, single-handed; and here you are, resting on your laurels, and smoking a cigar, as if nothing had happened-a trifle battered, to be sure, and minus your old horse, but covered with glory, and having a trophy in that panther-skin, which will, no doubt, be preserved by the next ten generations of Macphee's, as a memento of their illustrious ancestor. Come, come, my dear Doctor, cheer up, and do not look so miserable about it; for, after all, you have much to be thankful for."

"Aye, Maister Charles, what you say is very true. I hae, indeed, much to be thankfu' for; and I trust I am no ungratefu' for the Providential way in which my life has been spared. But, foolish though it be, I canna look at that poor beast, without feeling as if I had lost an

auld and trusty friend." And the Doctor began to puff his cheroot. furiously, as if annoyed with himself for being possessed of a good heart.

The baggage and followers had by this time come up, and the dead panther having been placed upon the elephant, a fresh horse was saddled for the Doctor. The Jaggardar was dismissed with a handsome present of ammunition and tobacco; and, leaving the remains of poor Smiler to become a prey to the vultures, the three horsemen cantered off at a round pace, in hopes of reaching the village, where they intended to halt before the heat of the day had become oppressive.

The poor Doctor was so disconcerted by the loss of his faithful steed, that he did not recover his wonted spirits for the rest of that day; and, after having tried in vain to convince his companions that the mysterious voice, which they attributed to an owl, was a supernatural warning of poor Smiler's tragical end, he gave up the point, and rode on, smoking his cheroot in moody silence. But, from that day to this, he never exhibits the panther's skin, or tells the story of the Night March, without assuring his hearers that, "as true as death," he heard the Banshee.

KOONDAH.

FREDERICK AND FLEURY;

OR, THE ILLUMINEES.

HOWEVER Strange the following narrative may appear at the present day, it may, nevertheless, not be devoid of interest to those who still bear in remembrance the principal occurrences of the year 1792, and more especially the strong sensation occasioned by a very important and unexpected event to which it has reference. The story rests upon the statement of Caron de Beaumarchais, a man whose character did not stand sufficiently high in the estimation of his contemporaries to ensure its being received as an unquestionable fact, upon his bare assertion, unsupported by more respectable evidence; they were more likely to have considered it a flight of that lively and prolific imagination which had produced the Marriage de Figaro, and other works (displaying very superior genius, but abounding in immorality, as well as wit), if a variety of circumstances had not combined to render it so highly probable, that it readily obtained credit by all those to whom it was communicated.

Beaumarchais came to England towards the close of 1792, and soon after his arrival, told his story to the Abbé Sabathier de Cabre,* who,

It was from the Abbé Sabathier de Cabre, that I heard the story of Fleury's journey to Verdun; and who, at one period of his life, bad been a person of some celebrity in France. He was a Conseiller à la grande Chambre du Parliament de Paris, and had rendered himself very conspicuous during the disputes between the King and Parliament, by his strenuous and undaunted opposition to the enregistering of several of the King's edicts, in particular those of the Séance Royal, of the 19th of November, 1787. His popularity was prodigiously increased by the persecutions which he and another