THE LEOPARD CARRIES OFF MY TERRIER 



verging on sixty years of age ! I constructed a " machan " 

 (platform) upon a tree, and tying up a village cur beneath 

 it, sat for many a weary hour upon it, hoping for a shot. 



But the beast was far too cunning, and though he 

 occasionally carried off a cur, it was always before I had 

 arrived, or when the night was at its darkest and shooting 

 with any effect practically impossible. 



Finally, after a succession of sleepless nights passed on 

 the " machan," I gave up the attempt, and was sitting one 

 evening, smoking in the verandah, when I heard a slight 

 rustling in a bush, just beyond the steps. 



My terrier, who had been lying at my feet, started up at 

 once and, barking loudly, rushed headlong down the steps 

 before I had time to stop him ; the next moment there was 

 a short, hoarse roar, followed by a yelp, as a long, low animal 

 dashed past me with the terrier in its mouth ! 



I followed immediately, shouting as I ran, but the 

 beast disappeared into some grass, and, bounding through 

 it at full gallop, was soon out of sight and sound, leaving 

 me in a frame of mine easily to be imagined. 



The next morning I held a consultation with the " boy " 

 and a semi-savage specimen of humanity, one of the 

 coolies on the garden, who posed as a " shikari," and it 

 was decided that a calf should be purchased and chained 

 up in the particular jungle frequented by the beast. 



This was accordingly done, but two nights passed 

 without result. On the third evening, however, while I 

 was at dinner I heard the calf bellowing, and thinking 

 the panther was about, I waited to let him kill. 



Three or four hours later, as I was going to bed, there 

 was a terrible commotion in the jungle as of a struggle 

 taking place, then a faint bellow, ending in a moan, 

 followed by perfect silence for a while, and then a low 

 purring kind of sound, which continued for about an hour. 

 Too excited to sleep, I passed a restless night, and the day 

 had hardly broken when I was up and on my way to the 

 jungle, which was about three hundred yards from the 

 bungalow. 



On arrival I found the calf lying dead, with its neck 

 broken, and half the body eaten. The panther had 

 evidently tried to drag away the carcass, but the chain 



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