Night- Watch for the Panther 77 



withers of the three buffaloes, which were formidable 

 animals, were 5 feet, 5 feet 3 inches, and 5 feet 2 

 inches. I hav.e two taken to the camp, leaving the 

 third where it is, in the hope of attracting lions 

 during the night, my intention being to put meat 

 there for them one or two days if they return, so as 

 to give them confidence, and to be able afterwards 

 to lie in watch, as it is full moon. 



During this time the panther has not abandoned 

 us ; every night it prowls around the camp with 

 remarkable persistence, trying to enter at one side 

 or the other, roaring continually, and obliging us 

 to have night watchmen, for hunger makes these 

 animals exceedingly bold. Lions visit us at the 

 beginning of the night, but, when they find they 

 have no advantage in remaining, they go in search 

 of food elsewhere and leave us in peace. Hyenas 

 also come to wish us "good-evening." The panther 

 alone is tenacious. So I judge the time has come 

 to play her the little trick of which I have spoken. 

 As she springs into all the trees near the stockade to 

 see what we are doing, I have a piece of meat placed 

 for her every day in the fork of an eriodendron 

 which is in the full light of the fires. I could poison 

 the bait with strychnine, of which I have an ample 

 supply, but I wish to kill her by nobler means. At 

 first the animal is suspicious and does not take the 

 meat, or only in the morning. Little by little 

 she grows bolder and carries it away when we 

 are still awake and in conversation ; she ends by 

 getting it down at night-fall. When at last I con- 



