INDIAN SHOOTING 219 



Many a pet dog has been carried off in broad daylight, in 

 the middle of large hill stations, where the forest comes close 

 up to the roads and houses. A dog of my own had the 

 narrowest escape in Chamba, being chased by a panther almost 

 up to my feet. The beast had almost got hold of him when 

 I drove him off. Ward recommends trapping, and gives 

 capital directions for making a cage-trap. When the writer 

 was stationed at Chakrata a few panthers were caught in these 

 traps, but more were shot over dogs tied up as baits. Panthers 

 are often shot in this way, or by sitting over a kill. At night a 

 very good plan is to strew chaff thickly all round the bait, 

 and if it is dark arrange a lantern so as to throw its light on the 

 bait ; neither of these plans will scare a panther, though it 

 might a tiger. 1 Sterndale recommends phosphorescent oil 

 (one grain phosphorus to one drachm oil dissolved in a bath 

 of warm water) for touching the sights at night. There is a 

 magnesium wire lantern, a Hanoverian invention, which is made 

 to fit on the sportsman's shoulder, and on a string being pulled 

 throws a broad search light down the barrels of the rifle lasting 

 about thirty seconds ; but this, if the sportsman was sitting 

 on the ground, might lead to complications should the first 

 shot fail to kill outright. If a panther's cave is found, it is 

 often worth while watching the entrance about 4 P.M., when 

 the animal will come out and sun himself before starting on 

 his evening ramble. In Central India panthers are often beaten 

 out like tigers, but they are unsatisfactory beasts to try and 

 drive, as they are so apt to hide and let the beaters pass by 

 them. On one occasion a panther came within shot of one 

 of the guns, who did not fire as a tiger was expected. The 

 panther first amused himself by catching a hare that the beaters 

 had driven up to him, then, as the men got near, he selected 

 a plump youth and proceeded to stalk him, when the gunner 

 thought it time to interfere. 



Sitting up over a bait at night is the poorest of all amuse- 

 ments. Often has the writer undergone it, and as often sworn 



1 Several good sportsmen even recommend the plan for tigers. 



