200 SPORT IN BENGAL. 



of a ravine, where stood a range of stone-built stables and 

 some out-offices ; and being partly garden and partly wild, 

 they lay much in the dark shadows of bushes and plants of 

 various kinds ; the moon too had sunk low behind some dark 

 clouds in the west, so that the premises on that side down 

 to the bottom of the gully, were shrouded in a deep gloom. 

 Unable to detect the form of the panther, I waited patiently 

 for some minutes for a repetition of the serenade, prepared 

 to make my acknowledgments with the most ceremonious 

 courtesy. At length he was heard again, apparently crouching 

 under some shrub eight or ten paces from the verandah rails, 

 when, without catching the slightest view of him, I fired two 

 barrels rapidly aimed at the spot from which the sounds pro- 

 ceeded, but neither growl nor rush succeeded them, and as I 

 had clearly failed to hit the animal, though so close, and a 

 perfect quiet ensued, I returned to my bedroom and closed 

 its door. 



For the third time that night we sought repose, and were 

 falling asleep in the deep stillness of the night, when we 

 were startled by a greater uproar than any preceding it, the 

 angry baying of dogs now joining the cries of men. Snatch- 

 ing up my loaded rifle, I hurried down to the out-offices in 

 the ravine, where my dogs ten in number, including grey- 

 hounds, bull-terriers, and terrier, were kenneled near the 

 stables, and on reaching them learned that the most valuable 

 hound had been carried off, although the servants declared 

 the door had been closed ; probably it was not barred, and 

 was left half-open. The man in charge of the dogs informed 

 me that he had been lying close to the door, with Baron's 

 head resting beside his own, and the panther approaching 

 stealthily had thrust in his paw, and clutching with it the 

 dog's head, had dragged him out and vanished. The man 

 stated also that the hound had been chained to a post as were 

 all the rest, who therefore, were unable to attack and follow 

 the marauder; and sure enough, there were the broken 

 chain and collar ! 



Now, so long as the " sawyer " confined his attentions to 



