ORDER V. THE CARNIVORA. 13j 



young, in the forest, nppnrcntly deserted by tlieir mother. They were 

 taken to the king of Aslmiitee, in whose palace they lived several weeks ; 

 when my hero, being mucli larger than his companion, suffocated him in a 

 fit of romping, and was then sent to Mr. Hutchison, the resident left by 

 ]\Ir. Bowditeii at Cuomassie. This gentleman, observing that the animal 

 was very docile, took pains to tame him, and, in a great measure, succeed- 

 ed. Wiicn he was about a year old, jMr. Hutchison returned to Cape Coast, 

 and had him led tiirougli the country by a chain, occasionally letting him 

 loose when eating was going forward, when he would sit by his master's 

 side, and receive his share with comparative gentleness. Once or twice he 

 purloined a fowl, but easily gave it up to IMr. Hutchison, on being allowed 

 a portion of something else. On the day of his arrival he was placed in a 

 small court, leading to the private rooms of the governor, and, after dinner, 

 was led b}' a thin cord into the room, where he received our salutations with 

 some degree of roughness, but with perfect good humor. On the least 

 encouragement he laid his paws upon our shoulders, rubbed his head upon 

 us, and his teeth and claws having l)cen filed, there was no danger of tearing 

 our clothes. He was kept in the above court for a week or two, and e\inccd 

 no ferocity, except when one of the servants tried to pull his food from him ; 

 he then caught the offender by the leg, and tore out a small piece of flesh, 

 but he never seemed to owe him any ill will afterwards. He one morning- 

 broke his cord, and, the cry being given, the castle gates wei'c shut, and a 

 chase commenced. After leading his pursuers two or three times around 

 the ramparts, and knocking over a few children by bouncing against them, he 

 suffered himself to be caught and led quietly back to his quarters, under 

 one of the guns of tlie fortress. By degrees the fear of him subsided ; and 

 orders having been given to the sentinels to prevent his escape through the 

 gates, he was left at liberty to go where he pleased, and a boy was ap- 

 pointed to prevent him from intruding into the apartments of the officers. 

 His keeper, however, generally passed his watch in sleeping; and Sai, as 

 the panther was called, after the royal giver, roamed at large. On one 

 occasion he found the servant sitting on tlie steps of the door, upright, l)ut 

 fast asleep; when he lifted his paw, gave him a blow on the side of his 

 head, which laid him flat, and then stood wagging his tail, as if enjoying 

 the mischief he had committed. He became exceedingly attached to the 

 governor, and followed him everywhere like a dog. His favorite station 

 was at a window of the sitting-room, which overlooked the whole town ; 

 there, standing on his hind legs, his fore paws resting on the ledge of the 

 window, and his chin laid between them, he appeared to amuse himself 

 with what was passing beneath. The children also stood with him at the 

 window. One day, finding his presence an incumbrance, and that they 



