A FIGHT WITH A PANTHER.

Auckland Star, Issue XXXVI, 21 October 1905, Page 13

A FIGHT WITH A PANTHER.

The Tayelisieu correspondent of the "North China Herald" tells a thrilling story of a fight with a panther. "A few, days ago" (he says) "on entering a small town, your correspondent's advent was looked upon as heaven-sent, and I was heartily welcomed. On inquiring why I was thus greeted, the inhabitants told mc of a fight with a panther (or tiger as they called it) on the previous day. The beast came down from the hills and attacked a man in the fields. On others coming to hia the panther bolted into the village and took refuge in a house. The inhabitants fastened the door from the outside, and then a siege commenced. The village ■was only a short distance from the town of Luchiapu, so many of the young men went out to take part in the fray. Some genius suggested putting lighted torches through the window. This being done, the panther made a dash, and the sparks sot fire to some straw pa. a bed. In a few, minutes the house was on lire. The panther made a dash, through :the low roof, and fel| amongst the crowd. Six men bore traces at tooth and claw ere the beast was killed. One man had an ugly wound at the nape of the neck, three inches long' and about an inch deep. The sinew of hia arm seemed to be severed, and he could not move the left arm. There.were smaller wounds on different parts of his body. Dressings were in big, demand, and after attending to the wounded I went to the scene of the fray. The house was almost wrecked, ana charred wood lay all round, but the proprietor seemed quite happy. Strange to say, no one* in the house had been injured, and the sale of the panther's skin, flesh and bones, would pay for house repairs, and leave the proprietor a profit. The skin of the beast was nailed out on a door, and measured almost five feet r.fpoSfc tfce'aeaa to the root : oT the taiK '"■* •"'