THE MAN-EATER OF BELKHERA 139 



The brute slipped, recovered, clung again, and, an 

 instant later, disappeared before a second shot could be 

 put in. 



We had a difficult climb out of the ravine ; but I felt 

 sure I had hit the panther, and that I should find him not 

 far away ; and at last we stood looking down on the spot 

 where he had clung and disappeared. With due precautions 

 this place was examined, and, further on, a few drops of 

 blood were found. They led us up and on to a little game- 

 path, continued here and there for about a hundred yards, 

 and then failed. 



Two hours afterwards we gave up the search in despair, 

 and returned to the pool. There, neatly tucked away in 

 the knotted roots of the banyan tree, were the remains of 

 the miserable woodcutter. All his clothes had been stripped 

 off him, and the legs, backs of the thighs, and all soft parts 

 having been eaten and torn away, the corpse presented the 

 most ghastly appearance. The head was stiffly bent back- 

 wards. The teeth projected in a frightful grin. Even in 

 life the poor Korku is no beauty. 



The throat of this poor creature bore marks of extra 

 ferocious treatment, and was simply covered with deep, 

 gaping wounds. A peculiar feature of his injuries was that 

 he had been partially scalped ! 



As may be imagined, I lost little time in getting away 

 from this dreadful spectacle. 



That afternoon I returned with a number of men and 

 very thoroughly beat the surrounding ravines and jungle, 

 but with no greater success. It could only be hoped, 

 therefore, that the man-eater had taken himself off to die 

 in some distant spot. 



Almost exactly one year subsequent to the above events, 

 I was again informed of a human " kill " near the ill-fated 

 B&khera. 



