is head to mount the tree. I had no weapon besides my knife,
but with that I managed to cut off a pretty thick branch, with which I
hoped to be able to defend myself.

As I found it very cold where I sat, my first object was to try and
drive the brute away. I therefore kept pelting him with pieces of
withered branches, which I broke off; but to no purpose. Still snarling
occasionally, he kept smelling round and round the tree, frequently
casting a look up at me with his glittering eyes. Now and then he went
to a little distance, and seemed about to spring into the tree. At last
he got into a position which enabled me to take good aim at him, and I
threw a heavy piece of a branch, which hit him directly on the nose. At
the same time I sprung round the tree, so as to be concealed from his
view. He gave an upward glance; but not seeing me, he appeared to be
seized with sudden fright, and, greatly to my satisfaction, went
muttering away into the depths of the wood.

Trusting that the panther would not come back, I descended the tree, and
once more sought the shelter from which he had driven me. The
interruption to the night's repose had been somewhat unpleasant, but
that did not prevent me sleeping on until daylight; after which I
proceeded in the direction where I expected to find the lakelet into
which my rifle and knapsack had dropped.

I was considering what I should do for food, when I observed a green
plant of a bright hue, with a small head, which I recognised as a
thistle, the roots of which I had seen the Indians use for food.
Pulling it up, I found it not unlike a radish in taste and consistency.
Searching about, I soon found several more: and although not likely to
be very nutritious, the roots served to stop the gnawings of hunger, and
enabled me to make my way with a more elastic step.

My thoughts were occupied as to the probability of finding Manley and
the sergeant. I hoped that, once clear of the forest, they might encamp
and make a large fire, the smoke of which would serve to guide me to
them. Should they, on the contrary, continue searching about, we might
miss each other.

The shore of the lakelet was at last reached, but my first glance at it
convinced me that there was every probability of its being of great
depth. The cliffs over which my rifle and knapsack had fallen went
sheer down into it; while farther on the torrent brought a large supply
of water, which found an exit on the oppo