336 THE MUD DO OR PANTHER. 



heard them growling and snarling at each other within, night fell without 

 their emerging, and we made the best of our way down. 



I made many subsequent fruitless attempts to bring panthers and leop- 

 ards to bag in rocky hills of this description, but it was not till I had killed even 

 mure than one tiger that I succeeded in outwitting my first panther. This 

 animal cost me much labour and perseverance, but was a splendid specimen, 

 and an ample reward for my past ill-luck. lie was a male of the largest 

 size I have ever myself seen (seven feet two inches from nose to tip of tail), 

 and had lived for many years in an isolated droog, or hill, about three miles 

 to the south-east of the travellers' bungalow at Muddoor, on the road from 

 Bangalore to Mysore. The country thereabouts is quite open and free from 

 jungle. Whilst staying at Muddoor I had at different times made attempts 

 upon his life, but he was exceedingly cunning, whilst I was very ignorant, 

 which combination did not result in affording me the close interview I 

 sighed for. However, I speedily gained some knowledge from my failures, 

 and the day of course came round when perseverance was crowned by success. 

 Two days before this, on a blazing hot afternoon, I had climbed the hill 

 with a native shikarie of the locality, and having secured a kid, which will 

 always bleat in a manner most seductive to panthers and leopards, in the 

 path down which the panther generally came, as reported by the villagers, 

 we watched from the shelter of a rock near. About sunset I heard a 

 slight noise behind us. I turned, expecting to find myself face to face 

 with the panther, but there was only a large monkey with his family, 

 sitting on a rock watching us. We knew at once that the panther must be 

 on the other side of the hill, and that the monkeys had come here to avoid 

 liim, as panthers and leopards prey upon them. We therefore descended, 

 and returned to Muddoor. In Southern India it is always dark by 6.45 

 P.M., so that there is not much time for watching after sunset, unless there 

 is a brilliant moon. 



The next afternoon we again went after the panther, ascending the hill 

 as before in the blazing sun, to gain our posts before he should be stirring, 

 and tied another kid in a likely spot. Its bleating must have been hoard 

 all over the hill ; but unfortunately a heavy thunderstorm succeeded the 

 sultry day, and we were driven to Muddoor amidst the pelting rain. I have 

 observed that few wild animals venture forth during the terrific crashes of 

 thunder and the lurid lightnings of Indian storms, so we deemed it useless 

 to watch during the strife of the elements. 



The Fates seemed in favour of the panther. Next day, however, I 

 returned to the hill. It was still early in the afternoon, so I determined 

 to take a stroll round its base. Several villagers were with me, when one 



