MY SHIKARI MAULED BY A LEOPARD 



of powder and IG mould or S.S.G. shot. Since then I 

 invariably used S.S.G. in the left barrel in following 

 up wounded panthers ; at close quarters it is most 

 'fective. 



On another occasion, when out beating for hog at Ner 

 (ivhandesh), I came suddenly upon a huge panther, as 

 large nearly as a small tiger, which was quietly trotting 

 out towards a small, rocky hill about two hundred yards 

 distant. 



Snatching a Snider carbine from my sowar who was 

 with me, I galloped after the beast and made a lucky shot 

 from the saddle, crippling him behind, on which he laid 

 up in a small bush a short way ahead. 



My men now coming up, I dismounted and we walked 

 up to the bush, when the panther, with one boimd, was on 

 the top of my shikari Etoo, then a ha\'ildar in the corps, 

 hanging on to his shoulder with his teeth. I could not fire 

 for fear of killing the man, so seizing a spear from my s\'ce, 

 I drove it with both hands through the panther's side, 

 killing him at once. 



Etoo was badly mauled about the arms and shoulder, 

 but being only some sixteen miles from Dhulia, I was able 

 to despatch him the same afternoon to the hospital, where 

 under skilful medical treatment he eventually recovered 

 rompletely from his wounds. 



This panther measured eight feet — an exceptionally 



Lj measurement — and was very old and light in colour. 



At this same camp I had wounded a panther with a 



snap shot in the foot, and on following up his tracks, 



found him crouching in a thick coriander bush in the bed 



a river. 



On going roimd the bush to get a better view, his head 

 and shoulders being partly hidden by some boughs, he 

 suddenly cliarged out and knocked over my gim-bearer, 

 '^tripping him of ray shikar bag and water-bottle. 



He now got further into the bush, and we were con- 

 sidering how best to attack him. when out he came again 

 with a savage roar, and striking down a man to my right, 

 inflicted two deep wounds in his thigh. So quick had 

 ^•♦'♦>n his movements on both occasions that I had no time 

 . lire. 



75 



