206 SPORT IN BENGAL. 



Northern Bengal than elsewhere in the Lower Provinces. 

 A gentleman who has resided in the Maldah district eleven 

 years has killed over three hundred, without making their 

 pursuit and destruction a special task ; simply shooting them 

 as reported from time to time in the vicinity of his place of 

 residence, or when put up while beating with a line of ele- 

 phants. Purneah, Dinagepoor, Rangpoor, Bograh, and Kuch 

 Behar are particularly well stocked ; and any one choosing to 

 make the pursuit of panthers a speciality, might secure a 

 great bag in those districts in the course of a single season of 

 five or six months. I have seen sixty or seventy skins and 

 skulls brought in by " Shikarees " at a time for the rewards 

 given by Government ; but I suspect many are brought from 

 the Nepal Terai, where rewards are not given. 



Panthers, generally of the tree variety, are sometimes 

 speared off horses without undue risks to steed or rider, if 

 the attempt be not made single-handed or upon unfavourable 

 ground. In this sport the grass variety proves far more 

 formidable and dangerous on account of its greater size, 

 strength, and length of limbs. The spears used in this chase 

 should be extremely keen, both point and edge, otherwise 

 they are apt to glance off the loose skin of the beast, as I 

 once found to be the case at the extreme peril of my life, 

 when my good and trusty hog-spear slipped along the side of 

 a tree panther, which I had pursued on foot after wounding 

 it with a gunshot, and failing to pin it, I almost fell upon the 

 beast, which, however, was killed by a better aimed thrust, 

 quickly delivered, as it turned to attack me. 



Hunting, as we do in Bengal, with the short jobbing- 

 spear, we are bound to get close to our quarry in order to be 

 within reach ; and when the panther is chased, it becomes 

 necessary to approach him within easy springing distance, so 

 that, unless well speared first, he is able to leap upon the horse 

 or rider without difficulty, and in an instant may inflict severe 

 and even fatal injuries. 



One morning, some years ago, three of us were hog- 

 hunting on the banks of the Ganges, opposite the little Civil 



