Anecdotes of the Habits and Instinct of Animals

by Mrs. R. Lee

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.