The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1909-11-26
NOluck and
Il Adventure
PANTHER SHOOTING.

been going round of a panther hav-
ing taken up its residence in the
rocky hill about three miles from the
mines and doing considerable dam
age among the flocks of the villages;
on one occasion it was reported to
have mauled boy.
One evening word was brought to
me that the beast could be seen on a
rock about 400 feet above the handy
track which skirts the hill, so taking
two rifles, I set out in pouring rain
and waited at the foot of the hill for
two hours, but saw nothing. 1 went
in again in the morning, but seeing
no sign of it except the remains of
a porcupine, l went after buck and
returned to the panther hill in the
evening, having arranged for a
couple of goats to be ready, and tied
up within fifty yards of the cave
which the beast was supposed to fre-
quent. The goats having been tied,
I hid behind a rock in the eXpeeta
ton of the panther attacking one of
them and giving me shot, but moth
ing appeared, so 1 came out of hid
ing at dusk.
On joining my coolies they in
formed me that while l was watch
ing the goat the panther had been
perched on top of the hill watching
me, so l found there was an exit at
the back of the cave by which he
could come out and have good look
around before going for his evening
stroll. Leaving one goat as an in
ducement for him to stay, returned
to my bungalow.
The following evening l went to
the hill again and found that the
goat left had been accepted, so climb
ing up the hill until 1 got to the
level of the rear exit of the cave, l
chose a rock twenty yards away, be-
hind which l could stand without
being seen. I had two coolies just
below me in crevice in the rocks
armed with knife and tomahawk in
case of accidents, and also with my
second rifle, a 800, in the event of
the cartridges of the 500 double ex-
press I intended to use being defec-
tive, as they were rather old. The
goats were also tied up, but trusted
to getting a shot at the panther as he
came out of the cave to look around,
and had not the goats in sight.
After waiting an hour 1 was think
ing of giving it up, as the light was
failing, when I saw movement
among the bushes around the rock,
but could not make out the panther
at first, as he was the exact color of
the granite rock. Presently he
emerged from the bushes and sat up
on the edge o. the rock, giving me a
capital view of himself before l had
my shot The rifle had to be lifted
over the edge of my sheltering rock,
and I was afraid he might see the
movement and bolt, but though he
turned and looked straight at me, he
had no idea, I think, of what was
happening, so he gave me plenty of
time to rest the rife and aim. The
bullet took him in the chest, and
over he went into the scrub below.
On climbing down to him, he ap-
peared quite dead so the coolies tied
his feet together and were Singing
him on pole when one, who had
him by the ears, dropped his head in
a hurry, and l saw the animal open
his eyes, but he seemed quite paral-
yzed. 1 gave him shot from the
smaller rifle, which at once settled
him. By this time it was dark, but
the news of the killing spread,
torches were brought and a litter on
which the body was laid out. Then
we moved in great style through the
village with torches and tomtoms,
much salaaming and shouting. Later
in the evening the procession re-
turned, and we measured the pan
ther. He was just seven feet tip to
tip, which is a good average full
grown beast His coat was in good
order, and he looked wei fed on the
village cattle and goats.-Forest and
Stream.