62 Leaves from an Indian Jungle. 



The nape of the neck, the shoulders, and throat were 

 fearfully mauled, and bore witness to a ferocity of " savag- 

 ing " that must have been quite unnecessary, considering 

 the helpless weakness of the poor old victim. 



As I looked down at these poor relics I suddenly noted, 

 for the first time, that this victim, too, had been partially 

 scalped ! 



Was it then that my poor shot last year was indirectly 

 responsible for at least another human life ? Had that 

 panther escaped to claim at least this other victim ? 



The sun had sunk over the opposite hillsides, so I 

 turned with relief from such discomforting thoughts to 

 superintend the building of the machdn in which I was to 

 spend the night. 



Not a single good tree was to be found : all were either 

 stunted salai or other small wood. However, the difficulty 

 was surmounted by cutting three long poles in the neigh- 

 bouring ravine ; and, lashing them upright to supplement 

 the flabby boughs of the nearest salai tree, a rough plat- 

 form was erected at a height of some fifteen feet from the 

 ground. Some bran was scattered round the remains of the 

 old woman, which had been dragged away from the 

 shadow of the bamboos and tied firmly by the arm to 

 a sapling. 



It was rapidly getting dark when the men moved off ; 

 and my orderly and myself were left sitting, listening to 

 their footsteps dying away in the fallen leaves. 



As a rule I sit alone for panthers ; but on this occasion I 

 preferred the company of my orderly, which, as events 

 .proved, was a fortunate decision on my part. 



It was a dark night : that is to say, we should have no 

 moon until about four in the morning ; and then only a thin 

 and waning sickle. I had fitted my night-sight to my gun, 



