I therefore allowed the dogs to bark as much as they
pleased, and forced my way to my first victim, the tail of which I also
severed, as a proof of my prowess. It, however, occurred to me that if
there were many more panthers in the cover, it would be very unsafe to
return alone to where I had left my horse. I therefore made sure that my
rifle was in good order, and proceeded towards the place where the dogs
were still baying. There I beheld another panther, but this time it was
a sport unattended by any danger, for the animal was a very young cub,
who had taken refuge fifteen feet from the ground upon a tree which had
been struck by lightning, and broken off about three yards from its
roots. The animal was on the broken part which had its summit entangled
in the lower branches of another tree.
It was truly a pretty sight, as the little animal's tail, hanging down,
served as a _point de mire_ to all the dogs, who were jumping up to
catch it. The cub was delighted, mewing with high glee, sometimes
running up, sometimes down, just to Invite his playfellows to come to
him. I felt great reluctance to kill so graceful and playful an animal,
but it became a necessity, as no endeavours of mine could have forced
the dogs to leave it. I shot him, and, tying him round my neck, I now
began to seek, with some anxiety, for the place where I had left
my horse.
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