PANTHER-FISHING IN MUNG-BUNG 359 



testified that the panther had at least enjoyed something 

 before being struck so mysteriously and suddenly from the 

 darkness behind him. His tracks were plain enough, and 

 we followed with ease the story that had been outlined 

 in sound as I listened at the loophole six hours before. 



Keeping along the banks, we examined the dry bed of 

 the rocky ravine below. It turned a corner a short distance 

 further down, and was then seen to sweep down to the edge 

 of a waterfall. The woody sides of the dim valley below 

 and beyond proclaimed that we had arrived at the brink of 

 a very considerable cliff; and at that moment the diminu- 

 tive form of a panther laboriously dragging his paralysed 

 hindquarters behind him so far off was he came within 

 our vision. The wretched creature, glaring back, saw us on 

 his trail, and redoubled his efforts to escape. Tearing at 

 the smooth rock with his claws, he appeared to be trying 

 to wriggle round some corner that was invisible to us ; but 

 evidently without a knowledge of what awaited him. For 

 before the rifle-sights could be aligned on him he slipped ; 

 slid away swiftly, scratching the rounded rock slope ; and 

 vanished over the edge. 



The deep sound of a squelching fall came echoing up 

 from the glen below. 



It was about an hour later that we found ourselves 

 standing nonplussed, below that cliff. Without the 

 slightest clue to repay our toil we had searched all the 

 covert of huge fallen rocks and twining bushes further 

 down the glen ; and had returned, to think over further 

 plans. 



Directly below the spot where we had seen him slide 

 over the brink of the dry waterfall, we found the spot of 

 the panther's impact marked clearly enough on the steep 

 face of rock. It was easy to follow mentally the path of 

 the water when this ravine was relieved from the summer 

 droughts. Then the stream, falling sheer over an undercut 

 cliff of some hundred and fifty feet, would impinge on this 



