100 SHIKAR SKETCHES. 



of-a-mile ahead. Letting her get well away, I 

 gave the word to c ride/ and, having previously 

 selected an easy place to cross the nullah, got a good 

 start. I had got within some ten yards of the 

 panther who was now close to the dhall-field 

 when the owner of Muzzle, a very light weight, 

 and excellent horseman, mounted on a very fast 

 Arab, came past me with a rush, and all my 

 hopes of obtaining the coveted first spear vanished ! 

 As he leaned forward to spear, his stirrup-leather 

 broke ! This caused him to miss, and he nearly 

 came off. The panther dashed into the dhall 

 with me close behind it, and almost immediately 

 crouched between the rows of dhall. As I gal- 

 loped up, and was preparing to deliver my spear, 

 my large sun-hat, or ' solah-topee,' as they are 

 called, caught by a gust of wind from behind, 

 came over my eyes ; and the consequent result 

 was I missed. As I went past, I felt a decided 

 creepy sensation, knowing that, ten to one, the 

 panther would spring on me, or on my horse's 

 back, from behind, when I should, in my blinded 

 condition, be practically defenceless. 



Luck, however, once more came to my rescue, 

 for she (it proved a female panther) did nothing 

 of the kind ; and the ' caster ' answering his bit, 

 and allowing me to turn him round almost in- 

 stantly, I dashed off the offending hat, and again 



