The Delaware farmer., 1883-11-30

as the first.
The terror was now universal, and all
the best hunters of the village set them
selves with one accord to get rid of this
destroying crocodile. Bats were laid,
traps set, men posted along the bank
with loaded guns to keep watch for the
monster; but, look for him as they
might, nothing was to be seen of him.
Several days later the wife of one of
the villagers was washing her white
wrapper on the bank of the river, when
it slipped from her hands and hoated
slowly out into the wide, still pool
formed by the bend of the stream. The
woman at once waded after it, and had
just succeeded in clutching it, when she
was seen by those on the bank to give
a sudden start, throw her arms convuI-
sively into the air and disappear under
water just as the other two had done be-
fore.
About three days after this last catas-
trophe, Mr.. Henry Sparks, the British
Commissioner for the District of Jung |
leywallah, was at work in his office amid
perfect mound of papers, halting every
now and then to wipe his streaming
face (Which, despite the numerous
pat,akah, or swinging-fan worked by his
native servant outside with a cord
passed through hole in the wall, looked
very much like half-melted snowbalD,
when he was suddenly disturbed by a
knock at the door.
"Come in p cried he snappishly, ex-
pecting the entrance of some Hindu
farmer or peasant with a complaint as
long and unintelligent as an Assyrian
But at the first glimpse of
the person who entered his face cleared
at once.
The visitor was tall native, with the
features and stately bearing of
a Mahratta. His figure, nearly six feet
n height, was so gaunt and sinewy that
t seemed to be made of pin-wire, and S
lis piercing black eyes looked out from {
beneath the folds of his white turban a
With the quick, keen, watchful glance of J
practical hunter. !
In truth, Ismail, the Mahratta, was @
veil used to tracking other game beside r
eer or tigers. Over and above his oc- s
upatiOns as scout, hunter and govern t
lent courier, he was in constant re- c
uest as a detective, and, for tracking II
own either a wild beast or a criminal, ei
e had no equal in Bengal.
Gliding into the room as noiselesslyas W
shadow, he made a low salaam, and ii
lid in his own language ii
"May the humblest of his servants as
peak to the Sahib ?" (master). fr
There was nothing particularly hum hi
Ie, it must be admitted, in the speak d,
Is bearing; on the contrary, he held III
imsef erect, and looked the Commits O
oner full in the face with the air of a
an who knew his own value, and had
,mething to tell which he felt to be
orth hearing; but Mr.. Sparks, with
hom Ismail was an old acquaintance, a
)peared to understand these signs per- bu
city, and said of
''What has Ismail to tell? I am lis st'
ming" tn
81 have been at the village of Ram w
nj, f." answered the Mahratta, laying a ma
ress upon the last word. CO
"Ramgani?" echoed Mr.. Sparks. lat
Ah, to be sure; the place where that shi
been eating up so many peo- sea
D." gre
care you quite sure, Sahib ?" asked on,
e Hindu, keenly watching the effect of
words, "that it was crocodile that the
it?"
The Englishman started, and looked tC
edly at Ismail's immovabIe face. my
That's how I heard the story told" enc
oined he. elf it wasn't crocodile anC
at was it 2" In
Did the Commissioner, Sahib, " in SIN.
ired Ismail, ''ever hear of crocodile ano
ng so nice in his eating as to devour yot
le but women, and only such women ano
had plenty of silver bangles on" ano
again Mr.. Sparks gave a slight start, stI'
the sparkle of his eye showed that lots
was beginning to guess the riddle, nav
he took care to make no Interrupt got
l, seeing that IsmaiI wished to have bul
pleasure of telling the whole story
lself. KIM
I went to the village" continued g
lail "and talked with the people. thel
IN L dived into the river (my lord paiC
'ws that can find my way through a gl
er as well as through thickets). and iacl
he bottom came upon nooso9 in {