72 TRAVELS IN 
waiting for us. We amounted in all to eight- 
een hunters ; our dogs formed a pack of the 
fame number : and we learned that a panther 
had carried off a flieep during the night. 
One of the barrels of my fufee was loaded 
with very large ihot, and the other with fmall 
bullets ; befides this, I had a carabine loaded 
with balls, which was carried by my Hotten- 
tot, who followed me. The country being 
very open, we obferved only ^ few detached 
bufhes here and there ; but we were obliged 
to examine all thofe which we found in our 
way with great precaution. 
After fearching above an hour, we found 
the fheep, one half of which only had bee^, 
devoured by the panther; and we were now 
certain, by this mark, that the animal was not 
far diftant, and that it could not efcape us. 
A few minutes after, indeed, our dogs, which 
till then had done nothing but range through 
the fields without any order, all of a fudden 
colleded themfelves ; and, preffing together, 
rufhed forwards two hundred paces from us, 
to a very large bufh, where they began to 
bark and howl with all their might. 
Difmounting from my horfe, and running 
towards 
