The Felis Leopardus and the Felis Pardus of authors, represent the
Leopard and Panther; but it has been impossible to establish any
characters which mark the difference between them. Size, colour, form,
and position of spots have been resorted to, but age and locality have
set all rules aside, and, therefore, in treating of them, I shall use
the term indiscriminately. Their extreme beauty, and their greater
docility, make them more interesting than the tiger; nevertheless, they,
like others of the feline tribe, should not be treated too unreservedly.
Their internal anatomy and dentition agree with those of the tiger, but
they are of smaller and slighter make, are natives of the East, but
particularly abundant in most parts of Africa. They are exceedingly
active and graceful; swim, climb trees, or slide along the ground like a
snake, and are very apt to spring upon their victims from the branches
of trees. Their coat is of that beautiful shade of tawny, which forms so
good a contrast with their black rosettes, or spots.
My first personal acquaintance with leopards and panthers was made on
the leeward coast of Africa, and one of the latter brought by Mr.
Bowdich and myself in a living state to this country, at first delighted
the men of science, because, in his remarkably beautiful coat, they
hoped to find characters which would mark the difference between these
two animals; but as we produced skin after skin, they began again to
doubt, and the problem still remains unsolved. My history of the Ashanti
panther has been so often repeated in various works, that I should
hesitate to introduce it here, had it not more than once been presented
to the public, in a form which did not originate with myself. The only
other account from my own pen was supplied to Mr. Loudon, for his
Magazine of Natural History, to which I now make a few additions.
The panther to which I allude, was one of two cubs, found in one of the
forests of the kingdom of Ashanti. They were both taken to the king, and
when Mr. Hutchison (the resident left in Kumasi by Mr. Bowdich) came to
head-quarters, his Majesty desired this one to be presented to the
Governor. He had suffocated his brother in a fit of romping, being much
the larger of the two, but he was extremely docile and good-tempered,
and was led by a chain only, being let loose when eating was going
forward, on which occasions he received his share; but he helped himself
to a fowl once or twice, and as he always gave it up to his master, he
was occasionally employed to secure provisions when the natives surlily
refused a supply. He was one day sitting behind Mr. Hutchison, with his
chin on the latter's shoulder, when this gentleman refreshed himself by
pouring some lavender water on his handkerchief. In an instant, this
panther tore it out of his hand, as if in a state of ecstasy, nor ceased
to roll over it till the cambric was in fragments.
The day after his arrival at Cape Coast, he was led into the hall where
we were all dining; and he received our salutations with apparent
pleasure. On one occasion he stood on his hind legs, and put his fore
paws on the shoulders of an officer, who hastily retreated, and it was
amusing to see the unconquerable dread of him which assailed men who
were undaunted where men only were concerned. We named the panther "Saï"
after the king, and he was kept in a small court; his claws and teeth
were filed, and no live food was given to him. A boy was appointed to
watch him. He was perfectly harmless; and the only violence he evinced,
was when a servant pulled his food from him, and he then tore a piece
out of the man's leg. Once he escaped, and dashed on to the ramparts,
where he caused a scene of confusion which was quite laughable; the
sentinels fled, the officers closed their doors, the castle gates were
shut; but when he was tired of his scamper, the playful beast quietly
laid himself down under a gun carriage, and suffered his attendant to
lead him away. At last he was allowed to roam at large, orders being
given to prevent his going beyond the gates; and the boy was desired not
to leave him. He, however, often fell asleep, on which occasions Saï
would come stealthily behind him as he sat upright, and knock him over
with a blow from his paw, when he wagged his tail with delight. His
principal amusement was to stand on his hind legs, his fore paws resting
on the sill of one of the windows, his chin between them, and there
contemplate all that was going on in the town below. But this was also a
favourite pastime with my uncle's children; and there was not always
room for all, so they often pulled him down by the tail, and took his
place, without exciting his anger. His attachment to my uncle was very
great, and he chiefly lived in his room. He missed him one day when he
was holding a great palaver in the hall, and wandered about in search of
him. The multitude prevented the panther from seeing his friend, and he
wandered to other parts of the castle, among others to my room, where he
laid himself down with a disconsolate look. The palaver over, the
Governor returned to his room to write, and the door being open, he
heard Saï coming slowly up the stairs. The panther started when he saw
the object of his search, and as he made one bound across the room, my
uncle gave himself up for lost; but the affectionate creature nestled
his head into his master's shoulder, rubbed his cheek against him, and
only tried by caresses to evince his happiness. He was very fond of
hiding himself under one of the sofas in the hall, where a rustling
noise, a protruding paw, or an occasional peep from behind the cover,
alone betrayed his presence. The Governor was once entertaining some
officers from Elmina, when, in the midst of an animated discussion, they
both turned pale, and stopped speaking. Their host looked up--"I beg
your pardon," said one of them, "but are you aware what animal is now
lying under that sofa?" "Saï," said my uncle, "come and speak to these
gentlemen." The panther walked up to them, and both darted behind the
Governor, nor did they feel comfortable when Saï was ordered back to his
hiding-place. I bantered one of them about his fears when I met him at
dinner; and he confessed that he had never been more frightened. One of
the drollest circumstances attending Saï's presence at the castle,
occurred to a woman who swept the floor of the great hall every day
before dinner was laid, with a little hand-broom, called a prah-prah.
She was engaged in her usual occupation, without knowing that Saï was
there, and stooping almost on all fours; when with a sudden impulse of
fun, the panther jumped upon her back, and stood there, wagging his
tail. Naturally supposing she was going to be devoured, the poor
prah-prah woman screamed so violently as to bring the other servants,
whereupon they being of the same opinion as herself, and thinking their
turn might come next, ran away; nor was she released till the governor,
hearing the noise, came to her assistance.
Before Saï was put on board the vessel in which we were to sail
together, we had become the best friends possible; and I and my uncle
coaxed him into the cage made for his accommodation. He was put into a
canoe, the men belonging to which were so alarmed when he moved, that
they upset the canoe, and the poor animal was plunged into the sea. We
were watching him from a window in the castle, and gave him up for lost;
but some of the sailors of the vessel, seeing the disaster, stepped into
a boat, and rescued him. He was so subdued by his ducking, and the
uncomfortable dampness of his cage, for no one dared to open it to wipe
it out, that he rolled himself up in the corner, and only, after an
interval of some days, was roused by my voice. When I first spoke he
raised his head, held it first on one side then on the other, and when I
came fully into view, jumped upon his legs, and appeared frantic with
joy; he rolled himself over and over, howled, opened his enormous jaws,
and seemed as if he could tear his cage to pieces, in order to get close
to me. Gradually, however, his violence subsided; he was amply caressed;
and from that time, ate everything which was offered to him: perhaps he
had suffered from sea-sickness. I indulged him twice a week with some
lavender water put into a cup made of stiff paper, but never allowed
him to have it when his claws were pushed forth; so that he learned to
retract them at my bidding.
While we lay for weeks in the river Gaboon, he was never suffered to
leave his cage, because the deck was constantly filled with black
persons, to whom he always manifested a decided aversion. I have already
mentioned his rage at seeing a chimpanzee and monkeys, and only
secondary to this was the approach of pigs, whom he seemed to long to
devour.
On the voyage to England direct, I thought he would have been starved to
death; for we were boarded by pirates, who took almost all our
provisions away, of course including our live stock, and if it had not
been for the numerous parrots in the vessel, Saï must have met with a
melancholy death. Some died daily as we came into colder climates, and
he was allowed one each day. It was just enough to keep him from
starving, and this sometimes made him seize it so ravenously, that he
did not give himself time to pluck off the feathers; these in process of
time formed a hard substance within the intestines, which made him very
ill, he refused even his small portion of food, and I thought would have
died; but I made some pills of calomel, butter, and flour, and put them
very far down his throat, while his particular attendant, one of the
cabin boys, held his jaws open. The boy slept in the cage with him all
night; and the next morning, I administered a further dose, which
effected his cure.
Having, after a long absence from England, no accommodation for such an
inmate, we, as speedily as possible, sought a home for him. He was
presented to the duchess of York, who boarded him at Exeter Change, till
she herself was going to Oatlands. I visited him more than once; and it
was only by stratagem that I could get away without his following me.
One morning the duchess called and played with him, when he appeared to
be in perfect health. In the evening, when her coachman went to fetch
him, he was dead, and his malady _said_ to be inflammation of the lungs.
The Panther is considered as a sacred animal on the Gold Coast; and the
priests demand a fine for each one that is killed; consequently, they
and leopards (if there be any difference) are numerous, and occasionally
commit much mischief. They leap over high walls, or stockades, and take
away the sheep and goats kept within, leaping back with them in their
mouths. They come into the streets of the towns or villages at night,
where I have often seen them jumping about, and chasing each other. Our
chief surgeon had a house on the outskirts of the forest, that he might
enjoy more room than he could have in barracks; and one night, while
sleeping there, he thought he heard his servant boys (who generally
remained all night in the verandah) dancing outside his bed-room door.
He called to them to be quiet, and for a minute or two the noise ceased;
as this happened several times, he rose, took a large stick, opened his
door a little way, in order to punish them, when, instead of his sable
attendants, he saw two large panthers performing their own dance; and it
is scarcely necessary to say, that he quickly closed his door, and
tolerated the nuisance.
A woman at Annamaboo was very much scarred on one arm and shoulder, in
consequence of a panther having sprung upon her when her child was at
her back, and she was carrying a pitcher of water. The pitcher fell, and
she made so vigorous an attack upon his eyes, that he became bewildered,
and retreated. This is not the only instance I have heard of wild and
ferocious animals being driven away by blows on this part.
A little girl of fourteen, who was to have been my maid as soon as she
was old enough, was not as fortunate as her neighbour; she being
attacked by a panther who sprang upon her through an open window, in a
room where she was sleeping by herself. Her cries brought her family
round her, and the beast made his escape as he had entered, but having
once tasted blood there, he was sure to return, and a trap was made
which caught him the ensuing night; the fine was paid, and the skin was
given to me. The poor child had a piece of her scalp taken off, a
triangular morsel had been bitten from her shoulder; and her throat had
a gash on each side of her windpipe. All these wounds appeared as if
they had been cut with a knife; none of them were mortal, but she had
not strength to encounter the weakness they engendered. Her father
brought her in a canoe to head-quarters for the attendance of an English
surgeon, but she expired as she was carried ashore.
A party of us had gone to St. Mary's near the mouth of the river Gambia;
and in the evening a bright moonlight induced us to take a walk. It was
not very prudent; but we started, the commandant, a quaker lady and
myself, to the outskirts of the forest. My female companion after we had
advanced some distance, began to think of danger, and I, in mischief,
rustled among the branches of the thicket in order to alarm her still
more. We proceeded as far as a spring under a huge Baobab, where we
stood for some time, till the monkeys began to pelt us from the tree
over our heads. A slight movement in the bushes also seemed to say it
was time to depart; and then, expatiating on our own fool-hardiness, we
went on, and reached home in safety. The next morning we were informed,
that an enormous leopard had been caught in a trap close to the spring,
half an hour after we had been there, and his footsteps had been traced
upon mine in the sand. We never could understand, humanly speaking, what
saved us, unless it were the long white plumes which waved from the hat
of the commandant. These traps are generally pitfalls, baited, too
often, with a live kid, whose cries entice the beast of prey.
The Jaguar is the leopard of America, and is also very destructive at
times; hunger, however, is the prompter; and Baron Humboldt relates a
story of a native woman, whose children used to play daily with one
which came from the forest close by. She discovered it in consequence of
the cry of one of the children, who received a scratch in play from
their companion, who was a little too rough. Had he required a supper,
the wound would probably have been more than a scratch. D'Azara,
however, says, he is a very ferocious animal; causing great destruction
among horses and asses. He is extremely fond of eggs, and goes to the
shores frequented by turtles, and digs them out of the sand.
Two of the early settlers in the western states of America, a man and
his wife closed their wooden hut, and went to pay a visit at a distance,
leaving a freshly killed piece of venison hanging inside.
The gable end of this house was not boarded up as high as the roof, but
a large aperture was left for light and air. By taking an enormous
leap, a hungry jaguar, attracted by the smell of the venison, had
entered the hut, and devoured part of it; he was disturbed by the return
of the owners, and took his departure. The venison was removed: the
husband went away the night after to a distance, and left his wife alone
in the hut. She had not been long in bed before she heard the jaguar
leap in at the open gable; there was no door between her room and that
in which he had entered, and she knew not how to protect herself. She,
however, screamed as loudly as she could, and made all the violent
noises she could think of, which served to frighten him away at that
time; but she knew he would come again, and she must be prepared for
him. She tried to make a large fire; but the wood was expended. She
thought of rolling herself up in the bed clothes; but these would be
torn off. The idea of getting under the low bedstead suggested itself,
but she felt sure a paw would be stretched forth which would drag her
out: her husband had taken all their fire-arms. At last, as she heard
the jaguar this time scrambling up the end of the house, she, in
despair, got into a large store chest, the lid of which closed with a
spring. Scarcely was she within it, and had dragged the lid down,
inserting her fingers between it and the side of the chest, when the
jaguar discovered where she was; he smelt round the chest, tried to get
his head in through the crack, but fortunately he could not raise the
lid; he found her fingers and began to lick them; she felt them bleed,
but did not dare to move them, for fear she should be suffocated. At
length the jaguar leaped on to the lid, and his weight, pressing down
the lid, fractured these fingers. Still she could not move, he smelt
round again, he pulled, he leaped on and off, till, at last, getting
tired of his vain efforts, he went away. The poor woman lay there till
daybreak, and then only, feeling safe from her enemy, she went as fast
as her strength would let her to the nearest neighbour's, a distance of
two miles, where she procured help for her wounded fingers, which were
long getting well. On his return, her husband found a male and female
jaguar in the forest close by, with their cubs; and all were destroyed.
As proof that these animals are as soon startled as the tiger, we are
told of an Indian, who saw a fierce-looking jaguar standing directly in
his path, at a distance of ten paces. At first he was extremely puzzled
to know what to do; but a sudden impulse prompted him to take off his
broad brimmed hat, make a low bow, and say, "A very good morning to you,
Sir;" and to his surprise, the jaguar turned round, and walked leisurely
away.
A very beautiful Ounce lived in the menagerie of the Jardin des Plantes,
in Paris, which became extremely tame; and Mdlle. Cuvier and I used
very often to go and take him a walk, leading him from his den to a
small space surrounded by high stakes: he required no other confinement
to ensure his obedience, than twisting our hands in the loose skin of
his neck, and he never failed at all times to recognise us with pleasure
if we went into his vicinity.
The Cheetah is gentle and affectionate, and successfully trained for
hunting.