82 THE LION KILLER. 



his claws he clutches the head, and whips the body out of its 

 retreat before the poor beast is aware of the presence of 

 his foe. 



When I first hunted in Africa, I attempted to hunt the 

 panther in the same manner that I hunted the lion, but it 

 was not long before I found that I was on the wrong track. 

 As the lion by night stands to meet or searches out the 

 hunter, so on the contrary the panther flies and hides from 

 him. I will cite an example of the cunning and timidity of 

 this animal that came under my own notice in the summer 

 of 1844, in the neighborhood of Nech Meia. 



I learned that one of the larger species of panthers had 

 taken up his abode in a ledge of rocks known by the name 

 of Ajar Mounchar, to the great perturbation of the sheep and 

 porcupines that frequented the neighborhood. As I was 

 quartered with a detachment at two leagues distant, I 

 immediately left my comrades, and came to the place 

 designated by the Arabs. It was five o'clock in the day 

 when I arrived, attended by a man from that part of the 

 country to indicate the place ; and as we rode up we saw the 

 panther retiring to her den with some small animal in her 

 mouth that looked like a racoon. I could have had a shot 

 at her at a hundred and twenty-five yards, but I thought it 

 better to let her retire quietly to her den, and take a nearer 

 shot by watching for her when coming out. 



After having sent off my Arab with my horse, with 

 directions to come back for me at daylight the next 

 morning, I softly approached the cavern where I saw 

 the animal disappear. The entrance to her den was so 



