116 A COUPLE OF VICTIMS. 



smooth ; the eyes were a yellow-green, large and shining ; 

 the ears pointed \ the feet armed with claws about half 

 an inch in length. 



While my companions and myself were admiring the 

 panther, the hounds had hit upon another scent, and 

 resumed their headlong race. We hastened to remount 

 our steeds, and a quarter of an hour afterwards, spite of 

 the enormous circuit we had made in the forest, we all 

 three met again at the cane-bush. This time, hastening 

 to attach our horses to the neighbouring trees, we entered 

 the thorny labyrinth together. At the very place where 

 I had killed my panther the female was standing erect, 

 roaring with rage, and her jaws reeking with greenish 

 foam. 



Three rifles, simultaneously fired, stretched the beast 

 upon the ground. Our balls had penetrated through the 

 skin ; one entering the chest, another the head, and a third 

 the belly. 



Without hesitation, I drew my bowie-knife from its 

 sheath, and, assisted by my two companions, bravely 

 undertook the task of butcher opening the skin under 

 the belly of the two panthers, stripping it off, and ampu- 

 tating the head and the four feet. This double flaying 

 terminated, we abandoned the flesh of the animals to our 

 dogs. 



In great glee we took our way towards Grammercy 

 Land House, the abode of a wealthy farmer, our common 

 friend. On the confines of the forest, close to a lagoon 

 formed by one of the windings of the little lake, our dogs 

 found a new scent. Was this another panther ? Was it 

 a racoon, or, perhaps, a stag 1 None could say ; but 

 certainly we had then no hope of completing our standard 



