The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-04-29
NUMBER IS.
Hunting the Leopard.

ONE night wewere to sleep in the forest
so, before sunset, we built large camp
for shelter. But there was no sleep for me,
the leopards were too plentiful; and their
dismal and ferocious howls sounding not
far from the camp told me that we had
better keep bright lookout. l forbade
anyone to move out of the light of the
fires during the night; but there was little
need of caution, as they knew very well
that if they did they would never come
back to camp.
The next day l proposed a leopard hunt
The next morning, when | got up and
said we must find the lair of the leopard,
the people seemed to back down, but
was not willing to give it up, as the leop-
ards were not far from us and their lair
must be near by. | wanted just four
Apingi to go with me. called four of
the warriors. l gave two guns to them,
and one was prepared to 90 with his
war spears. After awhile we came
to the bank of little stream, where
| discovered the tracks of huge
leopard in the soft ground. What
paws! 1t must be an old and fero-
cious animal. l have not the slightest
doubt that the monster was an old fellow,
and that it was the one that came 50 near
our camp during the night, and nothing
but the big fires that we kept up had kept
him away and prevented him from pounc
ing upon us. Unless the leopard had
caught something last night he must be
teartully hungry, and, consequently, very
fierce. must look out, for in that case,
if see him, l will have very little time to
fire, for in a jilfy he will spring upon me,
said to myself. | carefully followed
along the banks of the stream the foot
first he may pounce upon me as a
cat docs on Il mouse. / must be careful.
The Apingi are watchful. They look all
around; their ears are ready to hear the
least noise All at once hear cluck
from one of the men. | stop; he
points out to me Il spot ahead, just
by the stream, where the underbrush or
jungle is very thick. Huge trees have
fallen one upon another, and it is impos
siblc to see through the mass. The lcop-
ard must be there. This dark place must
be his abode for the day. There he hides
himself and sleeps and from there. he starts
upon his depredations, spreading fear and
terror among beasts and men. l stand
ready to fire at a seconds notice. | wish
you could have seen me. | knew it was Il
matter of life and death with me. | follow
the track of the leopard, for it had walked
along the little stream. The Apingi men
are not mistaken. Suddenly the footprints
leave the river and the last / see of them
show that the animal has retired into that
thick, dark and almost impcnctrable part
of the jungle where the Apingi had told
me that the leopard was concealed.
This is dangerous game. l cannot see
the enemy. cannot back out; dare not
show the Apingi l am afraid But then
do not wish to be killed by an infuriated
leopard. The best thing | can do is to use
caution as l enter the thicket. The
Apingi are almost afraid to go in, but we
must do it. lead. Oh! | wish l had
some native dogs with me; they bark and
show us the lair of the leopard. After a
while | succeeded in climbing to the top
of huge tree that had been blown down
by tornado. 1t is at least ten feet in di-
ametcr. When once lodged there | take a
view of the surroundings. For myself, |
do not feel very comfortable, for you will
agree with me that it is difficult position
to be in, not to see the exact location of
such dangerous enemy as the leopard,
which at any moment might be down upon
my back; his claws fastened in my shoul-
ders and his big teeth in my neck. Such
thoughts were not very reaSsuring to a
worn traveller.
must confess that was very excited.
| looked round and round. GThe slightest
noise made by the wind through the trees
would startle me. | thought the leopard
was close at hand and ready to spring upon
me. l would have given a good dcalto
see him. l carefully came down the trunk
of the huge tree and continuedtopress for
ward with my Apingi men into the thick
est part of this already thick jungle. Sud
denly the faces of my Apingi men became
excited. They stop walking. The strong
odor of the leopard became perccpti-
BILE; he is evidently not far from
US. We are upon the leopard, and
he is probably eying us, and ready
to make a spring. We must hurry
to see him, for surely destruction is
coming upon us unless we destroy the
animal look ahead into thick bush
where there were large number of
broken branches. 1t seems almost dark
although it is not noon yet, and the sky is
clear and the sun shines rcsplendently
Everything around is gloom. A cold
shiver runs through me. a feeling of in
security begins to possess me. | must
check it, for, if do not, my arm will not
be steady and shall miss the monster if
see him. The thought of home and friends
rushed to my mind. The feeling Of in
security suddenly disappeared. l must
conquer this big wildcat of the forest. II
he is wary, too must be wary.
Whew. halloo! | see the monster. He
leaps upon the ground and crouches upon
it. His long tail wags to and fro, show,
ing that he is enragcd. His eyes glisten
with singular light; he is ready to
spring. He springs, and just as his body
seems to rise from the ground a tremen
dous and deadly steel-pointed bullet goes
through his head, and three spears of the
Apingi are plunged into his body. The
monster rolls on the ground upon his
back, uttcring fearful yells of pain, thai
fill the forest and drive every living ami
NAL from the neighborhood. By this time
my breath is taken away. l am so excited
that my heart beats with fearful quick
ness. must be pale as death, for the ex
citement is great; for, one second more
| and the monster would have made it.
deadly spring, which would have been de
struction to me.-Pdul du Chdilu.
| III