42 PANTHERS. 



shooting, and we seldom scored. The j an war would then 

 take up a fresh position in some other cave hard by, and 

 the process would continue fireworks being used when 

 the dogs failed. 



The Gun Eock was a favourite draw on these occa- 

 sions, it was a more or less globular hill of igneous 

 origin trap or basalt, about eighty feet high, over 

 which large boulders were scattered here and there, 

 forming caves, in fact it was the usual type of Deccan 

 hill. 



The regimental bazaar was close by, and our bungalows 

 only a few hundred yards from its base. We often 

 wondered that no accidents were occasioned by the 

 projectiles discharged from its summit, and which, having 

 missed the panthers, must have gone buzzing through our 

 lines. It was crowned by a rock resembling a huge gun, 

 which gave it its name. Further off, and to the north, lay 

 Chota Mowl Ali, a larger hill of the same class, and at its 

 base a large pile of rocks, which was also a sure find. 

 About three miles to the east lay the town of Mowl Ali, 

 at the foot of a similar hill, the top crowned by a 

 temple or shrine of great sanctity, to which the devout 

 Mahommedans of Hyderabad were in the habit of making 

 pilgrimages. A mile beyond this was a large pile of 

 rock, containing many " guvvies " or caves our best draw 

 for a panther, but occasionally tenanted by porcupines, 

 from whose quills the dogs suffered more than from the 

 panthers' claws. On the last occasion, four of the best 

 dogs came to grief one was killed on the spot, and the 

 others had to be carried home, two afterwards succumbing 

 to their wounds.* 



* The quills had penetrated several inches, and in some cases 

 large portions were left in the wounds. 



