INDIAN REMINISCENCES 6i 



rock and stones, close to one side of the ravine. 

 The beaters had not succeeded in getting the game 

 on foot and were all collected round where I was 

 sitting. I had taken the cartridges out of the rifle, 

 and was about to enjoy a smoke, when one of the 

 beaters said : " I know where the panther is." 



He followed up his remark by climbing up a few 

 feet of the bank opposite to where I sat. Just 

 above his head was a hole which appeared to be 

 the opening of a small cave. He had no sooner 

 put his head to the hole than the panther sprang 

 out, knocking his turban off and alighting on the 

 heap of stones where I was, two yards away. For 

 about ten seconds the panther glared at me, and 

 very thankful I felt when he turned and jumped 

 to the ground. 



Sitting over water where animals come to drink 

 at night is a most fascinating sport. A great 

 variety of game visit these pools in dry weather, 

 and although I do not recollect having been suc- 

 cessful in obtaining what I always went for, either 

 tiger or leopard, there was great enjoyment in 

 watching the various animals. The dead stillness, 

 always more noticeable before sundown, seems to 

 give a certain amount of confidence to the animals 

 of the wild when they are approaching a locality 

 which instinct tells them is full of danger. About 

 three miles from our camp there was a water-hole 



