The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-11-30

wounded) had only the melancholy sat
isfaction of completing the destruction
of the savage beast, already exhausted
with the loss of blood from several deep
wounds from the knife of the expiring
huntsman.
Again, another instance Of the ferocity
of the leopard occurred in the case OF
the Missionary Schmidt: This worthy
man had gone out with a party of Hot
tentOts to another Moravian station to
hunt some hyenas which had been very
destructive to their focks, and, In COM
pany with one of the men, entered q
thicket in pursuit of beast they had
wounded. Instead of the hyena, how
ever, the dogs started leopard, which
instantly sprang on the H0ttentOt and
bore him to the ground. Mr.. Schmidt
ran forward to the aid of the man with
his gun cooked; but, before he could
find an opportunity of firing, the animal
left the HOttentot and few with fury at
himself. In the scuffle he dropped the
gun, but luckily fell above the leopard,
with his knee on its stomach. The ami
NAL seized him by the left arm with its
jaws, and kept striking him with its
paws and tearing his clothes in tatters
from his breast. Schmidt, however, be-
ing a powerful man, succeeded, after
receiving another severe bite or two, in
seizing the leopard by the throat with
his right hand, and held it down, in
spite of its desperate struggles, for few
minutes, and until his strength was on
the point of giving way, when a Hot
tentot on the outside of the jungle, who
heard his cries, came to the rescue and
shot the ferocious beast through the
heart, so that its death was instanta.
neous. Had any life been left, its dying
struggles might still have proved fatal
to Mr.. Schmidt. As it was, he was SC
terribly lacerated that for several weeks
his life was in the greatest danger. The
Hottentot who was first attacked was
less severely wounded, but his face was
so much torn by the animals talons that
his eyes were filed with blood, and he
was unable to render any aid to the
missionary who had so generously come
to his aid.
On one occasion Mr.. Orpen and Pres
ent Ga native follower) had gone up the
river TO shoot sea-cows, when they fell
in with an immense leopard, which
Present wounded very badly. They
then sent natives to camp to ask fol
dogs, of which l sent them couple
In about an hour the natives came run
ming back and said that Orpen was
killed by the leopard. On further in
quiry, however, l found that he wa.
not really killed, but fearfully torn anC
bitten about the arms and head. They
had rashly taken up the spoor on foot
the dogs following behind, instead o
going in advance. The consequence o
this was that they came right upon thu
beast before they were aware OF him
when Orpen fired and missed him. Tht
leopard then sprang on his shoulders
and, dashing him to the ground, lay
upon him, growing and lacerating hi
hands, arms and head most fearfully
Presently the creature permitted Orper
to rise and come away.
Numerous instances of hair-breadtf
escapes from the leopard are also OF
record, among which that of Moffat, tht
missionary, is, perhaps, not the least re
markable, the rather as, in the avoid
ance of the threatened danger, he In
Cured another of even more perilou
nature, thus verifying the old saying
"Out of the frying-pan into the fire!
"In one of my early journeys" n
writes, 81 bad an escape from an Africal
tiger and a serpent, no less providential
l had left the wagons and wandered t
distance among the coppice and grass.
openings in quest of game. :! had
double. barreled gun on my shoulder
which was loaded with ball and SINAI
shot. An antelope passed, at which
fred, and slowly followed the course
took. After advancing a short distance
/ saw tiger staring at me between tn
forked branches of tree, behind whic
its long, spotted body was concealed
twisting and turning its tail like CO
Just going to spring on its prey. This,
knew, was critical moment. 1 move
about, as if in search of something Q
the grass, taking care to retreat at IL
same time. After getting, as though
suitable distance to turn my back,
moved somewhat more quickly; but
my anxiety to escape what was benin
did not see what was before me, unit
startled by treading on large cobra-d
capello serpent asleep on the grass.
instantly twisted its body round N
legs, on which had nothing but pa
,, of thin trowsers, when l leaped from Il
! spot, dragging the enraged and venoI
Gus reptile after me, and while in u
act of throwing itself into a position
bite, I, without turning round, thrt
! my piece over my shoulder and shot
Taking it by the tail, / brought it to n
, people in the wagons, who, on examl
: ing the bag OF poison, asserted that, b
the creature bitten me, l could new
have reached the wagon. The serpe
! was six feet long,"
: The chase of the leopard, by DO
: colonists and natives. is commonly &C
Quoted on foot, the hunters being
!, companied by dogs, of which the mt
], there are the better, as they are
u greatest of safeguards from this fiei
! and agile beast; and, though the matt
u fox-like breed are awful looking or
lures, I have never found any 9th
: ..,,.I - +hap, for daring or pertinaCl