, I perceived the black bitch dead and horribly mangled. I was
going up to her, when the rushing came nearer and nearer; I had just
time to throw myself behind a small patch of briars, before another
panther burst out from the cane-brakes.

[Illustration: "With a long and light spring it broke out of the
canes."]

I had never seen before so tremendous, and, at the same time, so
majestic and so beautiful an animal, as with a long and light spring it
broke out of the canes. It was a male; his jaws were covered with foam
and blood; his tail was lashing through the air, and at times he looked
steadily behind, as if uncertain if he would run or fight his
pursuers. At last his eyes were directed to the spot where the bitch lay
dead, and with a single bound he was again upon the body, and rolled it
under his paws till it had lost all shape. As the furious animal stood
thus twenty yards before me, I could have fired, but dared not do so,
while the dogs were so far off. However, they soon emerged from the
brake, and rushed forward. A spirited young pup, a little ahead of the
others, was immediately crushed by his paw, and making a few bounds
towards a large tree, he climbed to the height of twenty feet, where he
remained, answering to the cries of the dogs with a growl as loud
as thunder.

I fired, and this time there was no struggle. My ball had penetrated
through the eye to the brain, yet the brute in its death struggle
still clung on.

At last the claws relaxed from their hold, and it fell down a ponderous
mass, terrible still in death.

The sun had already set, and not wishing to lose any time in skinning
the animal, I merely cut off its long tail, which I secured as a trophy
round my waist. My adventures, however, were not yet terminated, for
while I was crossing the short width of cane-brake which was between me
and where the she-panther laid dead, the dogs again gave tongue, and, in
less than three minutes, had tracked another animal. Night was coming on
pretty fast, and I was beginning to be alarmed. Till now I had been
successful, each time having destroyed, with a single ball, a terrible
enemy, whom even the boldest hunters fear to attack alone; but should I
have the same good luck in a third encounter? It was more than I could
expect, especially as the darkness would render it more difficult to
take a certain aim. I therefore allowed the dogs to bark as much as they
pleased, and forced my way to my first victim,