Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-11-11

so drcadfuly slow that practically it
would make it quite impossible for
either of us to get more than one
shot and it is no cash matter to kill a
leopard with one bullet, however well
placed. If he were mot killed he would
be pretty certain to charge, andwe
should. be in an awkward plight
Matters did not look much more en-
couraging when we reached Goree.
The khubJer was good enough; there
was the place where the kid had been
struck, and there were the drops of
blood and footprints of large leop.
ard leading into patch Of dense cane
Jungle about one hundred yards long
and sixty yards wide, and we had very
little doubt that he was in there, sure
enough. We arranged, somewhat
rashly, that we would enter the jungle
from nearly opposite ends of the patch
and work towards the center. If either
of US saw the leopard, we were, if pos
sible, first to whistle and then to call
out before shooting. We did this with
a double obiect-trst, that we might
not shoot each other; and secondly,
that if one of us wounded the beast
and he came towards the other, we
might be on the lookout for him, and
not be taken mawares. Soswe sep
arated; and | cautiously entered the
left end Of the patch, while Castleton
made his entrance on the right. My
end of the jungle was thicker
than Castleton but the edge
was fairly clear, and by pcering under
the brake, 1 could see four or
five yards in front of me. Very soon,
the cane and bushes became so dense
that l had to clear away the leaves
with one hand while I held the rifle
ready cooked in the other. We had
each Sepoy accompanying us and
carrying our second weapon, the spear.
To my man | gave instructions that
the moment fired, / would hand him
back the rifle, and he was to give me
the spear. OF course 1 kept him be-
hind me, SO that he should be in no
danger We had not begun our adj
vance more than two or three minutes,
and had not penetrated, at our slow
and cautious pace, more than about
twenty yards, when Castleton whistled.
| at once stood still. After slight
pause, he called out in a sort of
stage whisper: II see him; but it's q
nasty shot. / can only see his hind
quarters, and there is lot of jungle in
the way. Shall shootP'
Fire away" / replied, in an equally
melodramatic tone, heartily wishing
that his chance had been mine. In
about half minute the report of Castle
tons rifle rang out 1t was followed
by an angry roar somewhere from my
right front, and there was dead 81
lence. The smoke from Castleton' s
rifle came floating over my head; but
though listened intently with my rifle
half raised to my shoulder not the
sound of footstep or the cracking of
a twig could l hear At last Castleton
called OUT "rve hit him, but not badly,
think and he has gone off in your
direction.
Giving Castleton time to reload,
again began moving forward with even
greater caution than before, | had adj
yanced only few PAGES, when on
pushing aside screen of leaves thick
er than usual, and thrusting my head
into a bush, met sight that made my
heart jump; there, within about six feet
of me. crouched the leopard, his eye
balls glowing like balls of green fire in
the dark Jungle, look of the most
savage mischief on his face, and evil
IDENTIFY just on the point of springing
straight at me. My first impulse was
to throw my rifle to my shoulder and
fire at once; but more quickly than .
flash of lightning came the conviction,
Ikea living voice speaking in me: I'll
you do, and if you don't kill him,
he'll kill you" My nerves seemed to
grow steady at once, and Ichecked my
first rash impulse. Then keeping my
eye fixed on his, Iraiscd my rifle Slow
ly and deliberately, took a steady ain
and fired. A dull groan and a desper.
ate conyulsion followed. and then in
half minute all was still. My faithful
sepoy had duly obeyed my Instructions
he had taken my rife and had given
me the spear, and with this spear held
at the charge, ready to receive the
leopard if he came my way, we waited
! until the CONFUSION subsidized. Their
1 peering in again, we found that the
leopard had gone back; and it was no
| until we had advanced some ten yards
I that we came upon him lying dead. /
shows the marvellous vitality of the feline
race; for though the ball was heavy
one, and had crashed right through tn,
y brain, yet he had managed to 60 full,
eight yards from where he was crouch
Q ing. Had the ball been turned aside a
4 all by twig, or had it glanced off hi
0 skull, he would almost certainly hav,
$ made his spring, and in Jungle 81
t dense l could hardly have hoped t,
r keep him off or defend myself.
o | called up Castleton at once, an,
c we soon pulled the leopard out of tn
e thickot. We found that Castieton' bul
t let had hit him in the side, but far back
Il so as not to interfere in any way witt
n his powers of attack. / congratulate,
myself on lucky escape. The villager
were delighted at the death of a robbie
which had more than once laid thei
|. flocks under contribution, and presse
II their services on us to carry him home
c A procession was soon formed, and W
returned to Julbarri in triumph wit
s. the leopard swung on pole in from
G of us. The other hunters had not re
n turned; so we had ample time to e>
hibit our prize to the sympathetic eve
Q of Mrs. Castleton and Miss JervoisC
1t In about an hour, the others returned
IS wear;ed and Disguised. The tigers ha
% been disturbed before their arrival, an
betaken themselves to some very heav
: Jungle, whence, in spite of their be,
n efforts, they were unable to dislodo
It them. 1t required lot of good fee
a ing on their part to make them col
graduate us as heartily as they die
s. and hope our sympathy with their il
n luck showed itself quite untinged wi;
any sense of our own better fortune
- | (bUOlhsyof TngrooI