FAREWELL TO THE SPEAR. 103 



and, after forcing my way in a few yards, came 

 right on her, crouching and snarling, looking like 

 a great big angry cat. Fortunately for me, the 

 place where I found myself was to a certain ex- 

 tent open, the long stalks of the c bajree ' having 

 been trodden down, probably by a ' sounder ' of 

 hog, whilst engaged in a midnight foray. This 

 allowed me free play for my spear, and, rushing 

 in, I drove the blade clean through her, pinning 

 her to the ground. She turned at once and seized 

 the shaft between her teeth, and it would pro- 

 bably have been soon all up with me, but at that 

 moment up came old Muzzle, and without an 

 instant's hesitation went straight at my foe, seiz- 

 ing her by the throat, and getting his own hind- 

 quarters fastened on to by the panther. 



This scuffle had lasted, I suppose, about half-a- 

 minute, which seemed an age to me, when two 

 or three more of the party came up, and soon 

 finished her off. Pulling the brute out of the 

 the thick 'bajree,' Muzzle still holding on, and 

 refusing to let go until ordered by his master, we 

 then proceeded to look at the wounded man, 

 whom we found in a mortal funk, thinking he was 

 going to die. He had been badly bitten through 

 the shoulder and a good deal clawed ; so, present- 

 ing him with a handsome douceur, we sent him 

 off to the hospital at Nagpore, some four miles 



