The National tribune., 1899-06-08

nounced upon anything else. Our guide,
however, instantly drew attention towards
a faint line OF tiny marks that crossed the
larger pugS, but were obliterated by the
other footprint. observe these he said;
they were made by beetle that goes forth
between dawn and sunrise, never earlier or
later. VIII my lords condeScend to see
their servant was right concerning which
brute came first?' There could be no
doubt about it, the effacing foot must
necessarily have belonged TO that animal
coming last.
OFF the keen trailer started again, never
at fault long, always, apparently through
instinct, making casts in a proper direction
when the signs gave out, seeing everything
above and around with unerring glance,
and occasionally cheering us during this
long march by confident assurances of
success. This came sooner than any one
could have anticipated a fact entirely de-
pendent upon the panther's own temper:
but, nevertheless, strongly emphasizing
the common folly of Judging wild beasts by
such rules as could only apply if they were
machines constructed to work in an in
variable way. We struck the place at
which our quarry met n mate and passed
some time with her. Every detail of this
incident was communicated by khudeck
as if he were reading some written de-
scription; yet it passed even his powers to
say how long they remained together, and
consequently how far the big panther
might now be ahead. This uncertainty,
however, did not last. His MONDAY lair
was found, and it bore traces of having
been left hastily. A few more PAGES, a
little further search, then "the hunt was
up" and our shikari casting caution aside,
shouted: "Ai .Purmesur! All Naryun! he
has been here but now. Behold his springs;
the accursed heard us; truly this one was
i'll hurry from head to tail"
Fastening forward, the party had gone
only little distance onward when all
tracks ceased. 1t was useless to look;
every sign of this creatures presence van
iShed. While we stood dismayed, the
hunter smiled contemptuously, and point
ing up with certain expressions concerning
our games ingenuity that were much
more forcible than elegant, he said: There
lies his path among those boughs, and
where the trees grow thickest. In that
direction has he gone. Verify this is but
fool after all, for there were better things to
do, and | think his hour has come" With
that he struck out along the line of densest
foliage until its continuity became con-
s!derably less, when pausilg a moment or
two Khudeck with his assistants began
to make circles, and very soon struck the
spoor again. The. panther had leaped
down and made off at full speed into
broad and somewhat broken valley, fringed
by dense forest and set with jungle clumps,-
bamboo, tamarisk, thorn bushes, cactus,-
where this brute could have eyafed so
small number as ours indefinitely, if
its temper had not given way. One can
never calculate upon the patience of this
most reckless Of all the cats, however, as
we soon had good cause to know. In the
meantime, however, everybody felt tired
out, and our party gathered in shady
place, where servants opened tiffin baskets
and prepared lunch.
1t was so obviously dangerous to stray
among those jungle patches while upon
the hot trail Of a beast like this, that wasn-
ings had been given, with strict orders for
bidding any struggling. Nevertheless,
the man most probably does not live VINO
could instill heedfulness into Hindus. OF
course, they scattered when attention was
withdrawn from them, and although none
went far, one mans folly led him to his
death. He wandered into karinda brake
by cactuS,-the most I'M
likely place for any one to be attracted to-
wards,-and there got seized upon in
stantly; bitten through his throat as these
animals usually endeavor to do when at
lacking single men, though among several
persons they fly about biting and clawing
like mad. We heard his choked yell; yet
had scarcely time to catch up our rifles
before the panther charged-rushed at us
with a speed to which there is nothing con-