The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-11-10
Fl'ilay Morning, Nov. 10, 1855.
A ou-ious Adventure with Leopard.


I was riding home about six O'Clock last
Thursday evening with young F., and when in
the middle of the contonments-not amongst
the barracks, but in the native part of the
station--we saw some animal cross the road,
about one hundred yards in front of us, and
disappear in sort of rough garden on the
left hand side of the road. The natives who
were about the place seemed to be in a state
of great excitement, and some of them had
climbed into trees. On cartering up to ascer
tain the cause, we were told that it was a I'll
ger or hyena, and that he had not come out of
the garden we saw him enter. Thinking il
might possibly be hyena or wolf driven in
by terrific storm, we determined to try and
beat him out; SO whilst f. went round the
road to the other side OF the covert, L leaped
my horse over the bank and ditch, and pro-
ceeded to beat the bushes with bamboo l
had picked up from native. had gone
through the garden without success, and there
were only three bushes left. Il. was making
slowly towards these from the roau, whilst /
was about to beat them-when, heralding his
approach with two savage roars, out sprang an
enormous leopard, his eyes blazing and show
ing all his teeth. F.'s horse, little gray Arab,
swerved round to the right and with one
bound the leopard was on him behind the sad
die, seizing F.'s left arm above and below the
elbow in his mouth, and fixing his fore claws
on either side of the rider, and his hind ditto
on the horses quarters. Oyerbalancing F.,
they both came to the ground together, and,
loosening his hold at once, the brute made off,
tail up, at full canter, turning round once to
look at u.s. / went up to f., who was holding
his arm, covered with blood, and looking very
queer, (the whole affair was over in few sec
onds), and found that no bones were broken.
His horse, strange to say, stood perfectly still,
seemingly more astonished tnan frightened
and gazed after the retreating leopard, with
his ears pricked, and puzzled expression of
countenance that was quite ludicrous. Tell
ing the natives to try and mark the brute
down, we galloped off to the hospital there L
left F. and sent q doctor to him. 1t was now
getting dusk, so procured nv rife and GAL
loped back as hard as l could to where the ac-
cident had occurred. The natives were collect
ed in thousands, and told me the leopard.
had bowled man over who stood in his path
and had gone into a field of tobacco close by.
On arriving there found Mr. T., veteri-
nary surgeon ian old soldier and a V. G. be-
sidesI, half-caste named G., and two other
men. 1t was now quite dark, and proposed
waiting for the moon, but t. said he would
try to walk him up If | would accompany him.
or course 1 assented, and four of ls-T., G.,
another man, and myseh-went slowly
through the field, keeping together, the natives
surrounding us. at a respectful distance in
thousands. f7a l1s aleHa = as
We had gone about two hundred yards, and
T. said to me, "I think he has stole away, sir"
The words were scarcely out of his mouth,
when, with suppressed roar, the brute got up
in front and charged straight in amongst u.s.
G. was between Il. and myself and he was
knocked over directly and severely mauled.
I. and myself both fired simultaneously and
wounded the brute, who retreated about ten
yards and lay down, growing sayagely. Z.
and L now found ourselves alone. We could
not see the animal, but expected him Y to
charge every minute. This state of things
continued for a quarter of an honr, when the
natives brought some long poles With torches
fixed on them. These they held over our
heads, but even then we could not see him; SO
sent for chair, thinking l might catch sight
of him through the tobacco if I stood on it.
Taking it in my left hand, advanced few
PAGES, when the leopard charged me but not
quito home, stopping about three yards in front.
T., on my left, now caught sight Of him by the
light OF the torch, and shot him through the
head. Thus ended the fight. l can assure
you the walk in the dark through the high TO-
bacco field was very ticklish work. F. receiv-
ed some severe bites, SO also g.; they are do
ing well, l am glad to say. The affair caused
great excitement in the place. The leopard
was an enormous brute, measuring seven feet
The end of last March [ went into Rohilcund,
on fortnight's leave, with three others. We
had two elephants aplece-one to rifle, the
other to beat and carry the game. 1t was the
most gentlemanly wayof shooting imaginable.
After breakfast you light your cheroot, and
give the order, 'Bring round the elephants"
After .gravey saluting you with his trunk, the
sagacious brute kneels down and holds out his
hind foot and tail for you to scramble up into
the howdah. by. Once there you find every-
thing arranged-two double barrel rifles on
one side, two ditto guns on the other, ammu-
milton put handy in little pockets, and your
loader perched behind you, with an enor-
nous umbrella. Our ostensible object was
after tigers, but we were rather early and had
only shot at one, but he got away In the long
grass, though severely wounded. We bagged,
of big game, wild boar, cheetah, hog, deer,
and three wild eats. used to go out in the
early morn on foot in the forest, with an old
shikar, after deer, and succeeded in getting
five-two of them splendid stays with good
heads. One morning 1 came across the trail
of tiger, with bulloeh fresh killed: he had
evidently just done breakfast, and was gone
to drink. The old shikari touched me on the
shoulder, and said quietly, "Sahib, sahib, you
are the protector of the poor, and the defend
er Of the faithful / am your slave, but let us
go home." As discretion is prover5ially the
better part of valor, we felt more at ease
when clear out of the jungle. s ax