r.
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 "Sai"
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 m