CHAPTER XXII 



ON my return, I related my adventure to my chum, who was 

 much interested in the story, for it seemed that another 

 sporting friend of his who was staying with him at the 

 time had also, while out after ibex, met with a somewhat 

 similar experience. 



My friend, though not a sportsman, was an excellent 

 raconteur, and related the incident most humorously. 

 Indeed the story amused and interested me so much that 

 when we had parted for the night, I wrote it down while 

 still fresh in my mind, as one to be remembered and added 

 to my store of sporting anecdotes. 



Like most tales well told, viva voce, it loses half its 

 qualities in reproduction, still in this particular instance, 

 the incident alone is, I hope, sufficient in itself to interest 

 most sportsmen. 



It appeared then that Jones for such was the un- 

 assuming patronymic inherited by his guest, to which 

 those responsible for his being had added the more 

 euphonious prefix of Cornelius, to distinguish him from 

 other members of that tribe Cornelius Jones, then to 

 give him his full title was also a planter, carrying on his 

 occupation in a wild and remote corner of these hills, 

 which from the nature of the country was not favourable 

 to sport. He was nevertheless an ardent sportsman, and 

 whenever an opportunity offered, took advantage of it to 

 indulge in his favourite pursuit. Indeed, apart from his 

 professional aspirations, he had but two objects in life : 

 the first, to slay and possess the skin of that rarest of 

 known beasts, a black panther, and the second, to secure 

 a record ibex head. 



It was with these objects in view that he had accepted 

 his friend's invitation to spend a month with him, for he 

 knew that both these animals were to be found in that 



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