The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1886-03-03
HUNTING LEOPARDS.
How the Savage Animals are Utilized
In India

HUNTING LEOPARDS
How the Savage Animals are Utilized
IN India.
It was here that | witnessed the
only instance l ever saw of the black
buck being run into and killed by
the cheetah, or hunting leopard.
Many consider this low kind of
sport, but | think it quite equal to
partridge shooting, besides being
beautiful sight. | shall therefore
describe as well as can what | saw.
On arriving, with my friends, at the
place of meeting iD the jungle. We
| found a few rough-and-ready-look
ing natives in charge of three carts,
or rather small two-wheeled plat
forms, drawn by two bullocks. On
each vehicle sat, in an erect attitude,
a beautiful leopard, strongly chain
ed and with hood over his eyes,
similar 10 those used for hawks. We
were soon under way and driving
! toward the herd of antelopes which
could be seen grazing III the distance
and which had been marked down
beforehand. There was no difficult
ty in getting to within l20 yards of
the deer. Then one of the cheetahs,
fine male, was unhooded and set
free. It's departure from the gharry
and its decision in choosing the
most covered line on the open plain
10, rushing on its prey were so in
stan taneous and rapid as 10 be quite
marvellous 1t appeared to vanish
from the cart and appear simulta-
neously half way toward the fine
black buck it had sighted out for AL
tack. When at about thirty yards |
from the unsuspicious troop, they |
suddenly became aware of the dead
ly peril they were in. One and all
sprang into the air with galvanic
bounds, and no doubt expected to
escape easily 6y flight. But the
hunting cheetah is. | suppose, for a
hundred yards, bv tar the heetest of
all wihgless things; and this one
was soon in the midst OF the alright /
ed throng, which scattered wildly |
and panic-stricken in all directions,
as their leader was struck down in
their midst. There he lay, alone, in
his death agony, in the deadly clutch !,
of his beautiful and relentless foe.
We all ran a. hard as we could, aud
were soon surrounding the strange
group.
Neither animal moved, for the
buck was paralyzed by fear-his
starting eye-balis and dilated nostrils
alone giving evidence of life. TIE
cheetah, on the other hand, with
his body spread out over the pros
trate fern of his victim, seemed to
strain every nerve III pressing his
prev against the earth as, with his
long sharp fangs buried in its deli
cate throat, he continued the process
of strangulatlon. He was perfectly
motionless, but his eyes were fixed
upon as with glare of extraordi- (
nary ferocity that became intensified
as his keepers rushed forward and
seized the deer ty the hind leg. The
brute now growled fiercely, and,
tightening his clutch, looked so ex-
tremely dangerous that l was far .
from envying those who were in
such close proximity to him. But
they knew their trade. With long
sharp knife they cut the deer's throat
and caused the warm blood to spout
III torrents into the face OF the half
wild beast, whose frame now seemed
to thrill with ecstacy One of the
operators, 10 the meanwhile, caught
a quantity of the crimson life stream
in a wooden bowl, and forced the
steaming fluid under the very nose
of the excited leopard, who at once
began to lap it with avidity. While
engaged in this process the leather
hood was swiftly clapped over his
ewes. and the collar with two chains
attached waa adjusted round his
neck. While this was going on
third man bad cut off one of the
bucks hind legs, and this, the lions ,
share was held close to the bloody
chslice, which was no sooner emp +.
tied than the brute seized the meat
thus provided with vice-like grip. !,
Each chain vas now grasped by a :
different man, who by keeping apart
80 that the tether 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 venison, gently drew :
the cheetah to the little cart which
had been brought close up. As soon |.
as the beast felt himself against the
edge of his own familiar chariot he
sprang lightly upon it and proceeded ,
to demolish his succulent morceau
at his ease.
now inspected the carcass of the
deer with a view to ascertaining, II
possible, how the cheetah had been
able so instantaneously to strike :,
down such a powerful animal i'm
on getting up with it. |
At once observed single long, deep
cash in the flank, which was evil
iently caused by the decisive bow.
But / could not imagine with what o
weapon the leopard had been able i
10 inhict this very strange-looking
for the cheetah has foot 9
ike dog. and his claws are not re- e
-ractile. Turning then to the beast, i,
rs it sat OH the cart, | inspected it p
closely, and saw that the dew claw, c
which 10 the dog appears such v
useless appendage, is represented in a
his brute by terrible looking talon 9
exactly suited to the infiiction of v
such a gash.-Our Indian Stations e
The Useful Porposse. h
Yes, that's a porpoise," said a C