90 ROUGHING IT IN SOUTHERN INDIA 



filled them with affright as something they did not under- 

 stand. The unknown is always terrifying to the wild 

 nature, whether of a tiny field-mouse that scurries back to 

 its nest in the hedge, scared to death at a footstep, or of 

 the princely tiger himself, who slinks away into the familiar, 

 friendly depths of his jungles at the scent or sight of man. 



Yet it is certain that as we moved about in those forests 

 we were observed by many a creature that we never saw. 

 Of all animals commend me to a panther for inquisitive- 

 ness ; he will follow, nay downright stalk, you from no other 

 motive, himself, I need hardly say, well hidden the while, 

 as F. discovered one day when he suspected the presence 

 of some creature watching him. He was after bison, and 

 would not let any other quest turn him aside, only seeing 

 that the dogs kept to heel. The next day, on searching 

 about, he found plain proofs that a panther had followed 

 him. Through the livelong day this espionage had been 

 kept up. 



I may mention here a strange error I have often noticed 

 in drawings and paintings of lions, tigers, and other animals 

 of the same family. All the felines, small and great alike, 

 walk with the legs of the same side moving together in a 

 step, while other animals move theirs, as it were, cornerwise. 

 This distinction is commonly ignored, though the tabby 

 proof of it may lie no farther off than on the hearthrug ! 



With regard to the panther incidents related above, F. 

 was rather envious of my ' unheard of luck ' — so thrown 

 away upon me — for though he went about in search of 

 such meetings they never fell to his lot accidentally. 



I do not wish to represent myself as wonderfully cour- 

 ageous. In neither of those two instances was there any 

 leading up on my part ; indeed, had I known of a panther 

 being anywhere near the pool or the rock most surely I 

 had not stirred out of camp. To walk open-eyed up to 

 danger when necessary, that is where the courage comes in. 



