The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-12-02
A Sharp Encounter with n Panther.

remote part Of our Indian empire ! send
you the following extract from my diary
Mr.. W. Culbard, Of the Burn Brae Tea
Estate, having some business to transact
at the Palumpoor Tchseel, rode over, and
whilst there report came in that large
panther had attacked and wounded man
cutting grass near the village of Googur.
Oulbard Immediately galloped over to
give me the news. hastily finished my
breakfast, and both being armed, started
for the place where he had been marked
down. We left our horses on the Kangra
and Dhurmsala road, close to Googur,
and proceeded through the standing corn
tcillagcs' houses being dotted about here
and thcre) till we came to a place where
a dense crowd was assembled. We in.
quired from the scouts where the panther
was then supposed to be, and they indicat-
ed an irregular sort Of hedge, with tall,
reed.like grass growing up on both sides,
making it very close cover. This hedge
divided two cornfelds, and there were
houses some distance to our front and be.
yond this hedge, Being ignorant Of the
precise locaLe of the brute, we agreed to
take opposite sides. As soon as Culbard
had taken up his position, l inquired
from a man behind me if he could dis.
tinguish anything, because man perched
in a tree declared he saw the panther
crouching down in the grass ; he answered
he thought he could see him, and attempt.
ed to point our the spot to me. looked,
but could make nothing out clearly, and
while | was wondering if the animal could
possibly be there or not, out rushed the
panther with roar from this very place,
and with wonderful spring came flying
through the air straight ct me. Curious
though 1t may appear, the uppermost
sensation | then experienced was that Of
admiration for the extreme beauty and
grandeur of his appearance this feeling
OF course had onl ly momentary possession
Of my mind, for the next instant he was
on the top Of me. had not time to
bring my rife to the shoulder but took a
hasty snap shot when he was in the air, and
about ten feet distant from me. fancied
at the time that this shot had taken effect
on his chest, but found subsequently it
; had penetrated his nose and glanced off
his upper jaw, and slightly wounded his
left foot. then experienced the pleas
ant sensation of stunning blow on the
crown aud side of my head, with streams
of blood pouring down over my face fill
ing my eyes and binding me. He did
not quite knock me over, because [ had
iustluctively taking the precaution OF
standing sideways to him, with my legs
wide apart; but the fact Of his great
weight, together with his hanging on by
his claws to the top Of my head and back
caused my head to be pulled downwards
SO | gave great heavc, and with the
barrel of my rifle grasped in my left hand
dealt him laundering blow on the side
! of his head and neck, and also administer.
ed tidy one with my right fist. which
had the effect of knocking him over and
of righting myself. He recovered him
self and dashed away at hard gallor
through the standing wheat, | wiped
the blood hastily away from my eyes tc
, enable me to see II bit, reloaded, and fol
lowed him up sharp; as, Notwithstanding
, the entreaties of the natives to 90 at once
to the dispensary and get my wound,
| seen to, had not the smallest intention
| of letting the brute escape after the maui
, ing he had given me. When he wa.
about seventy yards off [ saw Cubarc
, running up and taking aim but | beggcC
I him not to fire, as the beast was tail on
and merely the top Of his back visibl,
above the corn, and a shot in that position
a was not likely to take iata! effect, but ra
Q ther to make him more ugly" as tn,
n Yankees say, Culbard however, fired
but without effect | followed up his track
4 and saw blood on the blades Of wheat, b.
which | felt certain | had hit him will
Q my first shot. Some natives standin,
outside a house told me they had seeI
the panther pass out Of the corn into
=. dry nullah believing this, stepped ou
G more freely, and had the pleasure Of al
!. most walking on the top of him as he la
crouched in the wheat with his hea,
6 straight towards me, tail wagging violent
o ly, and eyes glariug savagely. To ste
!. quickly back and give him snap shot i
. the head was tho work Of moment, an
!. none too soon, as he was in the act Q
n springng on me, his hind legs being a.
At most off the ground at the instant l ired
a Giving short, sharp growl, he at ono
q colap .ed, and turned over on his side
Allowing a slight pause, l approache
Y and found him quite dead. The last bu
4 let had hit him in the centre of the fore
e head above the eyes, passing through h
If brain, and longitudinally down the lengt
n Of his neck, heart, and out at the middl
v of his stomach. A man then rushed u
e with long flaming piece of wood,
n perform the last toilet by singeing h
= whiskers. | warned him however, to dc
Y sist from this delicate attention, as ha
!. no fear of his ghost haunting me. Hay
n ing obtained six men to bring him il
% and to take care that none of his claw
IS were stolen, Culbard and rode slowly I
d the Palumpoor Hospital, where l had m
d wounds dressed, because | felt littl
4. faint from the great loss of blood.
IN 1t was uncommonly lucky that W
came up with the animal SO quickly an
ID bagged him as we did, for he evidentl
10 meant mischief (which was shown by hi
h attacking the unfortunate grass cutter
If so unprovoked manner), and would Gel
is tainly have killed some man or amin;
,f that evening as it was populous villag,
r. and he was lying en- cachette right in th
At middle of it. He was a very handsom
t, full grown male panther. with a dar
G. skin, beautifully marked with those II
K sette.shaped rings.
of 1t was great fun to see all the peopl
,e skedaddle when he was on top Of MI
NJ A Brahmin told me afterwards that thei
was no longer reasons to doubt my havin
"bohut atchee kismut." Altogether