A LETTER FROM THE NIGER. 265 



spurted. It was a horrible sight, brought to an end when 

 one of the contestants acknowledged he could stand no 

 more. It was impossible to tell by appearance which the 

 victor was, so sore and scarred were they both. 



" Finally a cage was dragged out, in which was a 

 magnificent black panther, as large as a tiger. He 

 seemed timid before so many people and such bright 

 lights, and had to be urged out from behind his bars 

 with a goad, and even then took refuge behind a post, 

 where the buffalo, let loose to fight him, attacked him 

 furiously. It was evident at once which would be the 

 victor. The buffalo went like a shot from a rifle, bury- 

 ing his horns in the flanks of the panther, and crush- 

 ing him against the palisades, goring him through and 

 through. He uttered but one cry, and was dead. 



'' The Prince ordered another panther freed. It was a 

 female, smaller and fiercer than the first, that came run- 

 ning in, like a cat in haste. Her eyes glowed viciously, 

 and instead of waiting an attack, she sprang at a bound 

 above his head, and fastened her cruel teeth and claws 

 deep in the back of his neck. The bull made a thousand 

 turns to free himself of this foe that was sapping his very 

 Hfe. He rubbed against the palisade, he rolled over and 

 over upon the ground, he sprang clumsily into the air ; 

 but the panther stuck as if riveted to him. At last the 

 great animal succumbed, sinking in his own blood, in 

 which the ferocious panther positively revelled, wallow- 

 ing in gore, and tearing her prey in pieces. Indeed, so 



