The Leopard and Panther 159 



While the latter was encamped upon the Settite River, an 

 Abyssinian tributary of the White Nile, one of these ani- 

 mals sprang into the midst of a circle of men resting 

 around a watch fire and carried off a dog. To invade a 

 hunters' camp on this kind of an errand is quite common 

 with the panther, and many exploits of his under such cir- 

 cumstances have been put on record. In India the vil- 

 lanous pariahs that swarm in every village are his constant 

 victims. If one of them goes into the jungle, there is apt 

 to be a momentary scuffle in the dry grass, a stifled yelp, 

 and the dog vanishes. So in rice fields and around 

 cattle camps where the Gwallas build their temporary resi- 

 dences. Principally, however, the panther gets game of 

 this kind from permanent settlements infested with " curs 

 of low degree." Panthers know them well, and act ac- 

 cordingly. During the night one approaches the outskirts 

 of a village and so far reveals his presence as to show the 

 dogs, who are always prowling about, that some strange 

 animal is near. Now they in turn are well aware of the 

 tricks that panthers play, but on the other hand can by no 

 means resist their ingrained propensity to make a display 

 of courage, which they probably possess in a less degree 

 than any carnivora. As soon as these pariahs discover 

 something that conceals itself, the idea which naturally 

 takes possession of their minds is that this cautious con- 

 duct is due to a fear of themselves. The pack instantly 

 darts forward, and stops. These brutes endeavor to get 

 self-encouragement out of absurd antics ; they leap, they 

 howl, they ramp and rave, until one of them, more excitable 

 than the rest, so far forgets itself as to approach the in- 



