248 
A NATURALIST ON THE TROWL. 
look longingly after him : then it turned and looked at 
me. It clearly saw that it was watched and cursed me 
in its heart, but dared not advance. 
Giving my friend time to get safe away, I began to 
think what I should do. It was nearly dark now, and 
I felt that I could not walk home with that blackguard 
watching me. So I walked slowly towards it, but it did 
not move. I stopped and shouted at the pitch of my 
voice, but it gave no sign. I advanced again till I seemed 
to be within fifty yards of it, but still that round head 
with two ears remained motionless against the sky. It 
looked very large at this distance. At last I took up a 
stone and threw it with all my might. It fell just in front 
of the brute, and in an instant he sprang to his feet and 
jumped into the fort ditch. Then I got myself home as 
fast as I could, and found that H. had tied up the dogs 
and gone out again to look for me. 
Next morning we visited the place and could see plainly 
where the panther, coming down from one of the bastions 
into the ditch, had made a path through the long grass. 
We could also trace his course up the side of the ditch 
to the mound on top of which he had stopped to recon- 
noitre the plain when we first noticed him. Much against 
