FEATS OF THE FOALS. 243 



had a chance, and rode at him, but too slowly. Before he 

 could touch him with the spear, the panther with one bound 

 sprang on the horse's shoulder, and in a moment rider, horse, 

 and panther, rolled over together. The others of course 

 rode up. Yar Singh was first, but could not get his fright- 

 ened horse near the panther, which, showing its teeth, 

 crouched close to the ground, within a foot of where the 

 man lay. 



All this took place in a second, during which Alan had 

 shot ahead, unable to turn cpiickly enough. Directly he did, 

 his plucky little horse galloped straight to the panther, 

 and Alan, driving his spear through the beast as it 

 crouched for a spring, killed it on the spot. It was all 

 over in an instant, but during that instant matters looked 

 unpleasant for the sowar. The real danger consists in the 

 wound from the panther's claws. The blow may not kill 

 outright, but even a slight cut will often bring on blood- 

 poisoning. 



After this we go to see the haras and the young horses. 

 The latter are regularly fed at the same place every even- 

 ing. This is in a paddock divided by a ditch and a four- 

 feet wall from the breeding ground. A bugler sounds the 

 cavalry " feed," and immediately all the foals, and even 

 the young mules and donkeys, come galloping up and 

 clear the fence which divides them from their corn. It 



was a very pretty sight. Most of the foals took the wall 



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