The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-10-09
LIFE IN THE DESERT:
HOW A PANTHER FELL IN LOVE WITH A
FRENCH SOLDIER

Egypt by General Dessaix, provincial soldie
fell into the power of tribe of Arabs, calle'
| Maugrabins and was thence carried into tn
desert beyond the cataract of the Nile. Ii
order to place safe distance between them
selves and the French army the Maugrabin
made forced march, and did not stop til
night closed in. They encamped around toun
tain surrounded by palm trees. Not supposini
their prisoner wculd attempt TO escape, the
contented themselves with merely binding hi
hands; and after having fed their horses, AM
made their supper upon dates, they all OF then
slept soundly. As soon as the French prisone
was convinced of this fact, he began to gnav
the cords that bound him, and soon he regainet
the liberty of his hands He seized carbine
and took the precauton to provide himself
with some dry dates and a little bag of grain
armed with scimetar started off, in the direc
ton of the French army.
In his eagerness to arrive at place of safety
he urged that already weary horse until the
generous animal fell down dead, and left his
rider alone in the midst of the desert For q
long time the Frenchman walked on with the
perseverance of q runaway slave, but was al
last obliged to stop. The day was finished
Notwithstanding the beauty and freshness Of
oriental nights, ne did not feel strength enough
to pursue his journey. Having reached Q. little
cluster of palms, which had gladdened his
heart at distance, he laid his head upon a
stone and slept without taking any precaution
for his defence
lie was awakened by the pitiless rays of the
sum- which fell upon him with intolerable
fervor for in his WEAKNESS he had reposed on
the side opposite to the morning shadows of the
ma jestic palms. The prospect around him
filled him with despair. In every direction
nothing met his eye but a wide ocean of sand,
sparkling and dancing like a dagger in the
sunshine. The pure brilliancy of the sky left
the imagination nothing to desire. Not cloud
obscured its splendor, not zephyr moved the
surface of the desert The earth and the
heavens seemed on fire There was a mild and
awful majesty in the universal stiffness! God,
in all his infnity, seemed present to the soul
The desoate wanderer thought of the foun-
tains and roses of his own native provinces, and
wept aloud He clasped the palm, as if it had
been living friend. He shouted to relieve the
forgetfulness of utter solitude The wide wilder
ness sent back sharp sound from the distance,
but no echo was awakened. The echo was
in his head
With melancholy steps he walked around
the eminence on which the palm trees grew.
To his great joy, he discovered on the opposite
side sort of natural grotto, formed by piles of
granite Hope was awakened in his breast.
The palm woods furnished him with dates for
food, and human beings might come that way
before they were exhausted Perhaps another
party of Maugrabins whose wandering life be-
gan to have some charms for his imagination
or he might. hear the noise of approaching
cannon-for Napoleon Bonaparte was then
passing over Egypt The Frenchman experienced
sudden transition from the deepest despair
to the widest joy. He occupied himself du-
ring the day with cutting down some palm
trees to defend the mouth of the grotto against
wild beasts which would come in the night
time to drink at the rivulet flowing ut the foot
of the palms. Notwithstanding the eagerness
produced by fear of being devoured in his sleep,
he could not finish his fertilization during the
day Towards evening the mighty tree he was
cutting fell to the ground with n crash that
resounded through the desert, us if solitude had
uttered deep groan.
But like an heir, who soon ceases to mourn
over rich parent he Immediately began to
strip off the broad and beautiful leaves to form
his couch for the night. Fatgued by his exer-
ton and the extreme warmth Of the climate,
he soon fell into profound slumber. In the
middle of the night his sleep was suddenly
disturbed by an extraordinary noise He rails
ed himself and listened-and amid the deep
silence he heard the loud breathing Of some
powerful animal The sound fell upon his
heart like ice. The hair started upon his head,
and he strained his eyes to the utmost to per-
ceive the object of his terror. He caught the
glimpse of two faint yellow lights at a distance
from him; he thought it might be an optical
delusion, produced by his own earnest gaze !;
but as the rays Of the moon entered the chinks
of the cave, he distinctly saw an enormous
animal lying about two feet from him. There
was not sufficient light to distinguish what
species of animal it was it might be q lion, n
tiger, or CROCODILE but the strong odor that
filled the cave left no doubt of the presence of
some large and terrible creature.
When the moon rose so as to shine directly
upon the opening in the grotto, its beams light
ed the beautiful spotted hide of huge pam
Their The lion Of Egypt slept with her head
upon her paws, with the comfortable dignity of
a great house dog. Her eyes which opened
was turned towards the Frenchman. A thou
sand confused thoughts passed through the
soldiers BOSOM His first idea was to shoot his
not room enough for that; the ball would
inevitably have passed her. He dared not
make the slightest movement, lest he should
awake her; nothing broke the deep silence,
but the breath of the panther and the beating
of his heart. Twice he put his hand upon his
scmetar, but the difficulty Of penetrating her
hard rough skin made him relinquish the
project To attempt her destruction, and fail
in the attempt, would be instant death At all
events, he resolved to wait for daylight Day
came at last and showed the jaws of the Sleep
ing panther covered with blood.
"She has eaten lately said the Frencbman
to himself She will not awaken in hunger y
She was in truth beautiful monster. The
fur ON her throat and legs was Of a dazzling
whlteness circle Of little dark spots like vel
vet formed pretty bracelets round her paws
her large muscular tail was beautiful white
terminated by black rings; and the soft smooth
fur on her body was of a glowing yellow, like
unwrought gold, richly shaded with dark brown
| spots in the form of roses
This powerful but tranquil hostess reposed in
ms graceful an attitude as puss sleeping ON a
footstool Her head stretched on nervous out
stretched paws from which her long white
smellers spread out like silver threads. Had
sie pcch III cuRc, the rrehciiinhn Wouiu Ger
talnly have admired the perfect symmetry OF
her dark form, and the rich contrast of coors
that gave such an imperial brilliancy to her
robe but alone, and in her power, it was a
different thing. At the mouth Of the cannon
he had felt his courage rising with increasing
danger, but it was sinking now The cold
sweat poured from his forehead IA he saw the
sleeping panther. Considering himself a dead
man, he waited his fate rs courageously as he
could When the sun rose, the panther sud.
denly opened her eyes stretched out her paws
and gasped, showing frghtful row of teeth,
and great tongue MS hard and as rough rs a
file. She then shook herself, and began Ia
wash her bloody paws passing them from time
TO time over her ears, like a kitten "Very
well DONE" thought the soldier, who felt his
gaiety and courage returning she does her
toilet Handsomely He seized little dagger