An Hour Later, Comfortably Settled On Mr. G - - 's Sofa, And Dozing
Over A Cigar And A Volume Of _Punch_, My Rest Was Suddenly Disturbed
By A Loud Bang At The Sitting-Room Door, Which, Flying Open, Admitted
Two Enormous Animals, Which I At First Took For Dogs.
Both made at
once for my sofa, and, while the larger one curled comfortably round
my feet and quietly
Composed itself for sleep, the smaller, evidently
of a more affectionate disposition, seated itself on the floor, and
commenced licking my face and hands - an operation which, had I dared,
I should strongly have resented. But the white gleaming teeth and
cruel-looking green eyes inspired me with respect, to use no
stronger term; for I had by now discovered that these domestic
pets were - panthers! To my great relief, Mr. G - - entered at
this juncture. "Making friends with the panthers, I see," he said
pleasantly. "They are nice companionable beasts." They may have been
at the time. The fact remains that, three months after my visit, the
"affectionate one" half devoured a native child! The neighbourhood
of Abadeh, Mr. G - - informed me, swarms with these animals. Bears,
wolves, and hyenas are also common, to say nothing of jackals, which,
judging from the row they made that night, must have been patrolling
the streets of the village in hundreds.
A traveller starting from Teheran for Bushire is expected at every
European station on the telegraph-line. "I thought you would have got
here sooner," said Mr. G - - . "P - - (at Ispahan) told me you were
coming through quick."
The dining-room of my host at Abadeh adjoined the little
instrument-chamber.
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