A PANTHER HUNT. 
257 
“ Oot/iao,” and left him. Then we collected the shreds of 
my poor friend, and putting them into a coolie’s basket, 
wended our way home in stern silence. The panther was 
found to measure exactly seven feet and one inch, but the 
measurement was worthless, as poor H. had cut off nearly 
the whole of its tail with his first shot. 
It is not usually done, but I may mention that the 
events narrated in the second part of this story never really 
happened, because we wisely decided not to beat for the 
panther, but to sit up for him over a live goat. We did so, 
but it was a very tame affair compared with the adventure 
which I have described. And after all you cannot limit a 
shikarree's adventures to things that have actually hap- 
pened. It would rob the sporting world of half its best 
books, and many a sportsman hero of half his reputation. 
However, I promise not to do it again. 
s 
