Panthers and Leopards (Asiatic]. 289 



forward and a heavy mass fell upon me, throwing up 

 the same moment a mass of half-digested beastliness, 

 and rendering me in my turn as sick as the vomiter. 

 My sable companion, thoroughly awakened at the 

 double report so close to his ears, jumped up with a 

 yell, and seeing a black mass on me thought I was 

 seized by the devil, so took to his heels and ran for his 

 life. It took me some time to release myself from the 

 incubus and to get rid of the filth as far as I could. 

 I then found that my antagonist was a black panther 

 of the largest size ; throwing my cumbley aside with 

 its abominable contents, I dragged the panther into 

 the obscurity of the jungle, and as it still wanted an 

 hour and a half to daylight, reloading the rifle as 

 quickly as I could, I remained where I was. In half an 

 hour the village was astir, and I concluded the people 

 were coming in search of me, and almost wished them 

 to the devil, for I felt certain there were other 

 panthers about, and hoped to get another shot, but 

 despaired when I heard the noise. I was just on the 

 point of half-cocking my rifle and going to meet the 

 villagers, when I saw two shadowy forms gliding past, 

 which I took to be a pair of panthers and I gave them 

 both a right and left. There was no response, but 

 the first villagers pulled up, afraid to advance, thinking 

 there might be a wounded beast to pounce upon them, 

 and then, hearing my voice to hurry up, they ran up 

 in a body, and with the aid of their torches, I ascer- 

 tained that I had wounded one of the panthers badly. 

 Telling the people to pick up the one dead, I hurried 

 to the tent, threw off my soiled raiment and linen, 

 and after a good scrubbing down felt a bit sweeter, 

 and donning fresh clothes, I partook of my ' ' chota 



u 





