The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1886-03-25
THE HUNTING LEOPARD.
a singular Kind or Sport which IL Prao-
ticcd In tho jungle.

a "'"s"'"r Nihd or sport which IL Prao
ticcd In tho jungle.
think it was here, writes II CORE
| spondcnt to Our Indian Stations, that
| witnessed the only instance | ever saw
OF the black buck being run into and
Killed by the chcotah, or hunting
leopard. Many consider this Il low
kind of sport, but | think it is equal to
a partridge shooting. besides being a
beautiful sight. ! Shall therefore dc
scribe as well Us can what saw. On
arriving with my friends at the place OF
meeting in the Jungle we found few
MISUNDERSTANDING natives in
charge of three carts, or rather small
tw0-whcccd platforms. drawn by bull
locks. On each vehicle sat, in an erect
attitude, 4 beautiful leopard, strongly
chained and with hood over his ewes,
similar to those used for hawks. We
were soon under way and driving to-
ward the herd of antclopcs which coult!
be seen grazing in the distance and
which had been marked down before
hand. There was no difficulty in getting
the carts to within l2O yards of the deer.
Then one of the chcetahS, fine male,
was unhoodcd and set free. Its dcpar-
t!lrc from the gharry and its decision in
choosing the most covered line in the
open plain for rushing on its prey were
SO instantaneous and rapid rs TO be quito
marvellous Ii seemed to vanish from
the cart and appear simultaneously half
way toward the fine black buck it had
singled out for attack. When ut about
thirty yards from the unsuspicious troop
they suddenly became aware of the
deadly peril they were in. One and all
Sprang into the air with galvanic
bounds, and no doubt expected to es-
cape easily by flight. But the hunting
chcctah is, | suppose, for hundred
yards, by far the llcctcst OF all winolcss
things; and this one was soon i'm the
midst of the allrightcd throng, which
scattered wildly and panic-strickcn in
all directions, us their lcadcr-a fine
Black buck was struck down in their
midst. There he lay, alone in his death
agony, in the deadly clutch of his beau
tifnl and relentless foe We ran as hard
as we could and were soon surrounding
the strange group.
was paralyzcd by fear his starting eve
balls and dlatcd nos,rils alone cavc
evidence of life. The chcctah, on the
over the prsstratc form OF his victim.
seemed to strain every nerve in pressing
his prey against the earth us. with his
long, sharp fangs buried in is delicate
throat, he continued the process of
strangu!ation. He was very motionlcss,
but his eyes were fixed upon us with a
glare of extraordinary fcrocty that be-
came intensified IA his Keepers rushed
forward and seized the deer by the hind
leg. The brute now growlcd liercely,
and, tightening his clutch, looked SO eX-
trcmcly dangerous that | was far from
cnvying those who were in such close
proximity to him. But they know their
trade With long sharp knife they
cut tho dccr's throat and caused the
warm blood to spout in torrents into the
face of the half-wild beast, whose whole
frame now seemed to thrill with ecstasy.
One of the operators, in the meanwhile,
caught quantity of the crimson life
stream in II wooden bowl, and forced
the stcaming fluid under the very nose
OF the excited leopard, VIII }. quitting his
hold, ut once began 20 lap with avidity.
While engaged in this process the leather
hood was swiftly clappcd over his eyes,
and the collar, with two chains attach
ed, was adjusted round his neck. While
this was going on q third man had cut
off one of the bucks hind legs, and this,
the "lion's share was held close to the
bloody chalce, which was no sooner
empticd than the brute seized the meat
thus provided with vice-likc grip.
Each chain was now graspcd by a
different man, who, by keeping apart so
that the tethcr remained taut, kept
the leopard between them in such a way
that neither was within reach of his
claws or teeth. Then the third individual,
who had ever retained his hold of the
shank-bone of the leg of vcnison, gently
drew the chectah to the little cart that
had now been brought close up. As
soon rs the beast felt himself against
the edge of his own familiar chariot he
sprang lightly upon it and proceeded to
dcmolish his succulent moroccan at his
ease. now inspected the carcass of
tho deer, with q view to asccrtaining, if
possible, how the chcctaH had been able
so instantancously to strike down such
powerful animal immediately on get
ting up with it. at Unco observed
single long, deep cash in the flank,
which was evidently caused by the de-
cisivc blow. But could not imagine
with what weapon the leopard had been
able to inilict this very strangc-looking
wound, for the chcetah has foot like a
dog and his claws arc not retractile.
Turning then to the beast as it sat on
the cart | inspected it closely and saw
that the dcw-claw, which in the dog APP
pears such a useless appcndage, is repre-
scnted in this brute by n tcrrible-looking
talon exactly suited to the inlliction Of
such cash.
Gates o. Happiness.