OEDEE OF CAENIVOEA. 369 



to tlie spot by the cries of the lad. The victim died after two 

 days' suffering. 



If destroying the Lion has immortalised Jules Gerard, the 

 pursuit of the Panther has rendered another of his countrymen 

 illustrious. We allude to Bombonnel, librarian of Dijon. This 

 bold man devoted himself to Leopard-hunting in Africa, an 

 occupation which can only be followed by the methods pursued 

 by Gerard and Chassaing against Lions, and which is surrounded 

 by even greater dangers. 



Bombonnel published in 1862 a most interesting book, contain- 

 ing a description of his stirring adventures. We here reproduce a 

 chapter in which he relates a terrific struggle he sustained with 

 a Panther he had wounded : a fearful and almost fatal combat 

 that occurred on the brink of a ravine. The countenance of the 

 courageous hunter yet bears traces of this conflict. Bombonnel 

 thus describes the event : — 



" It was eight o'clock at night ; we were dining, and during our 

 meal discvissing our projects for the morrow, when there arrived, 

 quite out of breath, an Arab belonging to the tribe of Ben-Assenat. 

 He told me that at sunset a Panther came and carried oif a 

 Goat in the presence of the goat-herd, and that he had seen 

 it enter a ravine, where it was certain to be found. I was too 

 anxious'lbo meet this infernal beast to hesitate an instant ; dinner 

 was left unfinished, and a rush was made at once to my weapons, 

 notwithstanding the representations of several who wished to 

 detain me, by observing that the night was very dark and the 

 weather bad; but knowing that the moon rose at ten o'clock, 

 and that I ought to be with the tribe before that hour, I started. 



"The man who conducted mc, in his endeavours to make a 

 short cut, went along narrow tracks, and often through the brush- 

 wood. My hunting-knife bumped against my legs and caught 

 in the branches ; so, to get it out of the way, I pushed it round 

 my waist-belt behind, instead of retaining it by my side. I 

 mention this fact here, though it appears of but little importance, 

 because, as will be seen hereafter, it was the means to which I 

 owe my life. 



" On reaching the tribe, I found the Arabs waiting for me. For a 

 decoy they had got ready a Goat and a stake to attach it to. 

 They led me about a quarter of a mile from the douar, to the 



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