THE LEOPARD. 165 



broke his cord, and, the cry being given, the castle 

 grates were shut, and a chase commenced. After 

 leading his pursuers two or three times round the 

 rampaits, and knocking over a few children by boun- 

 cing against them, he suffered himself to be caught, 

 and led quietly back to his quarters, under one of the 

 guns of the fortress. 



" By degrees the fear of him subsided ; and orders 

 having been given to the sentinels to prevent his es- 

 cape through the gates, he was left at liberty to go 

 where he pleased ; and a boy was appointed to pre- 

 vent him from intruding into the apartments of the 

 officers. His keeper, however, generally passed his 

 watch in sleeping ; and Sai, as the panther was called, 

 after the royal giver, roamed at large. On one oc- 

 casion, he found his servant sitting on the step of 

 me door, upright, but fast asleep ; when he lifted his 

 paw, gave him a blow on the side of his head, which 

 .aid him flat, and then stood wagging his tail, as if 

 enjoying the mischief he had committed. He be- 

 came exceedingly attached to the Governor, and fol- 

 lowed him every where like a dog. His favourite 

 station was at a window of the sitting-room, which 

 overlooked the whole town ; there, standing on his 

 nmd-legs, his fore-paws resting on the ledge of the 

 window, and his chin laid between them, he -appear- 

 ed to amuse himself with what was passing beneath. 

 The children also stood with him at the window ; 

 and one day, finding his presence an incumbrance, 

 aad that they could not get their chairs close, they 



