PANTHER-FISHING IN MUNG-BUNG 357 



For a very long time there came not the slightest sound, 

 but at last I seemed to hear a sniffing away behind me, and, 

 therefore, at the back-door of my narrow domicile ! After 

 another long pause, during which I nobly conquered an 

 almost overpowering desire to sneeze, a little earth came 

 falling from the side of the pit with a soft pattering on the 

 haversack. I stretched out a gentle hand and removed 

 the latter. The earth continued to fall, but now noiselessly, 

 on the floor of the excavation. 



When at last my outstretched numbed arm had almost 

 refused to hold the hat in place a moment longer, there 

 came a sudden wrenching, tearing sound from the front. 

 The beast, whatever it was, its suspicions lulled, had returned 

 to its prey. 



Gently the loophole was again exposed ; a faint luminosity 

 showed through. Strained though the eyes might be to 

 their fullest power, it was only by looking somewhat to the 

 side that a mere suggestion of a misshapen darkness 

 became evident and that was doubtless the body of the 

 fallen goat. Very faint noises were to be heard although, 

 be it remembered, only some fifteen feet divided their 

 author from me and now and then the indistinct black- 

 ness of what was supposed to be the goat's body seemed to 

 be obscured. A tugging set in, first gentle, then more de- 

 liberate and forceful. 



That the beast might soon succeed in removing the car- 

 case of the goat was evident. Even should he be unable 

 to effect this and sit down to a meal on the spot, what 

 guarantee was there that he would still be there at the 

 earliest streaks of dawn ! 



Again and again I levelled the gun. Again and again it 

 was lowered. Suddenly the darkness of the dead goat 

 became more palpably eclipsed. I rested the barrels more 

 or less level with the ground line, level with my face, raised 

 them a little, and quickly fired. 



I was aware of a choking cloud of black-powder smoke, 



