A PANTHER HUNT IN INDIA.

Wanganui Herald, Volume III, Issue 537, 20 February 1869, Page 2

A PANTHER HUNT IN INDIA.

DEATH OF .COLONEL nIgH^ENGALE. The following extract from a letter dated Secundevabad, J, 7th October, will be read/witlr'-.interest:—" A sad! incident occurred here "on last Monday evening. Colonel Nightengale, commanding. the Hyderabad, Cavalry Contingent, was the greatest sportsman in, the Deccan, and^ having caught a large panther in the trap, he had him brought in,Kand sent round a 'chit' to say the animal would be speared near the residency at Bolarun that evening. At five o'clock, a large field having assembled, the panther was let out, and at once ran across the plain, followed by ,30 spearmen/ well I mounted. I went there to look on.:h When the panther found , that the : \ horsemen were closing on him, he got into some bushes .and prepared to spring . at the first horse:thatfcamenear him. He did try two or threei times," and on the. last occasion very nearly reached the horse's back:;' The horsemen now commenced; riding found him in a large circle, rushing: in when- there was a chance of spearing 1 him. Colonel Nightengale, had tried several times unsuccessfuily to do so, and suddenly" became so very ill that he had to be lifted from Mis hbi-se and carried to.' the 'Hesiden£s,house whither I accompanied, him/ being the only medical officer on the field. Two others were shortly afterwards in attendance, but ,from the first he was insensible and never rallied. He died in about two hours afterwards. We did all that could be done for him, but-he never spoke again. He died from an attack of heat appoplexy. He was buried last night with military honours. The doctors in England told him he would die of appoplexy if he did not avoid exposure to the sun, and keep from great excitement, but he did neither one nor the other,- as,during his twenty-two years' service in this country he shot over 500 tigers, and no end of bears, panthers, &c" ": ; :