Yet I could not see
them, and I began to examine with care the upper limbs of the tree, to
ascertain if any tiger-cat had lodged itself upon some of the forks. But
there was nothing that I could discover; cutting the canes on the left
and the right, I advanced ten yards more, when, to my surprise, I
perceived, thirty feet above me, a large panther embracing the trunk of
a tree with its huge paws, and looking angrily below at the dogs.

I would have retired, but I dared not, as I feared that the least noise
would attract the attention of the animal, who would spring upon me from
its elevated position. The dogs barked louder and louder; twice I
raised my rifle, but did not fire, my nerves were too much agitated, and
my arms shook. At last I regained my self-command, and reflecting that
among the pack there were some dogs almost a match for the terrible
animal, I rested my rifle upon the limb of one of the heavy canes, and
fired: my aim was true, the brute fell mortally wounded, though not
dead; half of the dogs were upon it in a moment, but, shaking them off,
the animal attempted to re-ascend the tree. The effort, however, was
above its strength, and, after two useless springs, it attempted to slip
away. At that moment the larger dogs sprang upon the animal, which could
struggle no longer, as life was ebbing fast with the stream of blood.
Ere I had time to reload my rifle, it was dead.

When I approached, all the dogs were upon the animal, except a fierce
little black bitch, generally the leader of the pack; I saw her dart
through the canes with her nose on the ground, and her tail hanging low.
The panther was a female, very lean, and of the largest size; by her
dugs I knew she had a cub which could not be far off, and I tried to
induce the pack to follow the bitch, but they were all too busy in
tearing and drinking the blood of the victim, and it was not safe to use
force with them. For at least ten minutes I stood contemplating them,
waiting till they would be tired. All at once I heard a bark, a growl,
and a plaintive moan. I thought at first that the cub had been
discovered, but as the dogs started at full speed, following the chase
for more than twenty minutes, I soon became convinced that it must be
some new game, either a boar or a bear. I followed, but had not gone
fifty steps, when a powerful rushing through the canes made me aware
that the animal pursued had turned back on its trail, and, twenty yards
before me