110 Anecdotes of a tamed Panther* 



he heard a heavy step coming up the stairs, and, raising his 

 eyes to the open door, he beheld Sa'i. At that moment he 

 gave himself up for lost, for Sai immediately sprang from the 

 door on to his neck. Instead, however, of devouring him, 

 he laid his head close to the governor's, rubbed his cheek 

 upon his shoulder, wagged his tail, and tried to evince his 

 happiness. Occasionally, however, the panther caused a little 

 alarm to the other inmates of the castle, and the poor woman 

 who swept the floors, or, to speak technically, the pra-pra 

 woman, was made ill by her fright. She was one day sweep- 

 ing the boards of the great hall with a short broom, and in an 

 attitude nearly approaching to all-fours, and Sai", who was 

 hidden under one of the sofas, suddenly leaped upon her 

 back, where he stood in triumph. She screamed so violently 

 as to summon the other servants, but they, seeing the panther, 

 as they thought, in the act of swallowing her, one and all 

 scampered off* as quickly as possible ; nor was she released 

 till the governor, who heard the noise, came to her assistance. 

 Strangers were naturally uncomfortable when they saw so 

 powerful a beast at perfect liberty, and many were the ridicu- 

 lous scenes which took place, they not liking to own their 

 alarm, yet perfectly unable to retain their composure in his 

 presence. 



This interesting animal was well fed twice every day, but 

 never given any thing with life in it. He stood about 2 ft. 

 high, and was of a dark yellow colour, thickly spotted with 

 black rosettes, and from the good feeding and the care taken 

 to clean him, his skin shone like silk. The expression of his 

 countenance was very animated and good-tempered, and he 

 was particularly gentle to children; he would lie down on 

 the mats by their side when they slept, and even the infant 

 shared his caresses, and remained unhurt. During the period 

 of his residence at Cape Coast, I was much occupied by 

 making arrangements for my departure from Africa, but gene- 

 rally visited my future companion every day, and we in con- 

 sequence became great friends before we sailed. He was 

 conveyed on board the vessel in a large wooden cage, thickly 

 barred in the front with iron. Even this confinement was not 

 deemed a sufficient protection by the canoe men * , who were 

 so alarmed at taking him from the shore to the vessel, that, in 

 their confusion, they dropped cage and all into the sea. For 

 a few minutes I gave up my poor panther as lost, but some 



* The panther in these countries is a sacred, or Fetish, animal'; and not 

 only a heavy fine is extorted from those who kill one, but the Fetish is sup- 

 posed to revenge his death by cursing the offender. 



