Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-08-14

some time. Finding that the creature had
selected this place as lis home, we visited it
two or three days aiterward, and found the
animal at home. Il must have been asleep
when we approached, for we we're within
thirty PAGES Of the den when il bounded of,
not, however, before it had received one of
our bullets through the body, which, although
il might probably cause the animals death
did not instantly stop il. We found, how.
ever that the leopard had entirely deserted
its former haunt, and we suspected that il
must have died from its wound.
When searching for buck in the thick bush,
we one day heard buck scream at short
distance from us, and as this noise was indie.
ative Of the animal being in danger, VIC sus-
pected IL might be caught by a python. We
therefore made our way through the bush to.
wards where the noise seemed to come from,
and there we saw buck lying on the ground
quite dead. On the back of the neck there
we're the marks Of leopards teeth, and on
the ground near we found two or three leop.
ards hairs, showing that il was leopard that
had killed the buck, and had escaped when it
heard our approach. The buck was very
fine red bush buck, aud we did not hesitate
to rob our rival the leopard Of the spoil he
had won, or decline 70 feast on it at that
nights dinner.
As rule, leopard will not attack man,
unless IL is driven TO do 30 in self.dcfense, or
is wounded then, however. il becomes a
most ierocious monster, using its teeth and
claws in such a manner as to cause the most
terrible wounds Its strength, too, is very
great We once saw a colt about six months
old that had been killed by leopard, and
dragged a considerable distance, and we also
saw the carcass of Zulu COW that leopard
had destroyed. The leopard always kills its
prey by springing on it, and seizing it at the
back Of the neck if possible, it drags the
head round and so dislocatcs the animals
neck the hold that it gets with its claws and
its great strength enable it to do this. Thus,
whilst its prey, which is usually large buck
or antelope, young horse, OK, or cow, is COM
pletely at its mercy, the leopard fastened on
its back or neck, is quite out Of harms way.
Leopard's have a great fancy for carrying of
dogs we have heard of several dogs being
killed aud carried off by leopards, whilst we
have seen several others that had received
scratches from leopards from which they had
escaped.
When leopard takes up his residence in
any locality, be soon makes his presence
known by his depredations he prowls about
at night round outhouses or kraals, and
watching his opportunity, carries of a calf or
pig, dog or half dozen fowls, and feasts
on them in some dense jungle, where it is al
most impossible to follow him.
Very early in our colonial experience we
we're one Of party who went in search of
leopard that had visited the same house three
times in a week on the first and last occa-
sion it had killed and carried off pig, whilst
on the second occasion, it had enjoyed feast
on a couple Of fowls. A party OF about a
dozen assembled at the house of the owner Of
the slain pigs, and having heard an account
of the daring of the leopard, were conducted
to the bush in which it was believed the ami
nal was lying concealed The bush was very
thick, and to move through it, one had to
crawl in many places, whilst in others, one
had to scramble over branches and ropes of
wild vine. The noise thus made by dozen
persons was such, that we at once we're con-
vinced no leopard would wait for US, for the
leopard is as watchfu and as cautious as a
wild cat, and is as difficult to surprise. Af-
ter troublesome scramble through the bush,
we came on the remains of the pig, very lit
tic being left so the leopard must have en-
joyed a plentiful feast but although the
ground on which the animal had lain was
quite warm yet il was nowhere to be seen,
fact that was explained by Caffre who had
como from the opposite side of the bush,
who stated that at about the time we en-
tered the bush, the leopard with two cubs
had quietly trot,ed out on the other side,
and had entered the dense forest beyond
The plan to have secured this leopard
would have been to have surrounded the bush,
then TO have sent some dogs into the most
likely places, when the leopard would proba-
bly, have taken to a tree to avoid the dogs,
and thus would have given to the hunters
fair chance Of shot. This plan we tried on
another occasion and with success.
We had heard that leopard was in the
habit Of visiting farmhouse a few miles
from D'Urban, and carrying off from it any.
thing it could procure. Having found by the
trail OF this leopard that it was a very large
one, We were anxious to get a shot at it.
Having found that the leopard had taken up
its residence in the bush near the farm, we
selected a station on the far side where we
thought it most probable the creature would
endeavor to escape, and arranged that large
party Of Caiires should enter the bush from
the side opposite to that at which we had
taken our station. As soon as the dew was
of the grass and bushes one morning, we laid
our plans and took up our station. No
sooner did the Catires enter the bush, than
the leopard, which was evidently on the look
out, started from his lair and sneaked through
the bush to the edge of the plain where we
were stationed; so quietly did he approach,
that we saw him before we heard him, al
though he was not further than thirty yards
from us. As we had taken our station behind
a tree, well hidden from view, the leopard
did not see us. Ii stood for some time lis
tening, then giving discontented cry, it
moved towards us, lightly bounding over some
brambles that were in its way, and quite un.
conscious Of our position. just as the ami
nal was opposite us, and distant about fifteen
yards, we fired. The leopard gave a lurch,
but instantly turned, and uttering savage
snarl, orouched as though about to spring at
us. 1t was rather an exciting moment, for
we were quite within reach of the animals
bound, and should certainly have had hand
to-hand fight with the wounded brute luck
lily, however, it did not spring instantly, and
its hesitation was fatal, as we covered ii, and
lodged bullet between the eyes which turned
it over dead.
We were shortly surrounded by the CAT.
fires who in their eagerness and delight, hurled
their assagies into the carcase before we could
stop them, and thus considerably damaged
the beautiful skin, which, however, adorned
the hearth of the farm whence the leopard
had so frequently drawn his rations
We once met Dutch farmer whose left |
hand and arm were quite useless in conse-
luence Of the wounds he had received from
leopard the following was the account he
gave Of the adventure.
A leopard had taken up its quarters in
large ravine near this farmers house, and had
killed goat and calf. As the animal was
known to be frequently prowling round the
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