48 THE WILDERNESS AND JUNGLE 



got caught in the cow-catcher of a passenger 

 train. The driver stopped the locomotive, but 

 the brute would not, or could not, descend 

 from its awkward position. One of the pas- 

 sengers then climbed over and emptied five 

 chambers of a revolver into the panther, which, 

 however, merely snarled with rage, but still 

 did not leave the train. Then someone fetched 

 an iron bar, which was likewise ineffectual. 

 There was nothing for it but to proceed, and 

 when the train had gone a short distance the 

 panther got clear. It was tracked and shot 

 next day, and it was found to have all five 

 revolver bullets in it and to have lost one of his 

 paws. This shows remarkable vitality, but 

 what is still more singular is the fact of the 

 animal having stayed on the line to be caught 

 up in this fashion. Was it a case of fearless- 

 ness or panic ? 



Those with a liking for natural history or 

 sport, or, better still, for both, could hardly 

 have their lines cast in more pleasant places. 

 The opportunities of exciting adventure with 

 dangerous game, or the milder pleasure of 

 scraping acquaintance with the most attrac- 

 tive bird population to be found anywhere 

 in the world, more than compensate for the 

 drawbacks of exile in a trying climate, and 

 I never yet heard a sportsman grumble of 

 the years he spent in India. If he grumbled, 



