St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1898-10-29

HIS is the SKIN OF hlmaiay an,
or snow leopard. The hair. you
see, is long, ard SO thick and crinkly
that you almost might call it wooiiy;
the black spots on the back, sides and
tail are much larger than those OF the
tropical leopard, and they are distrib-
uted on a ground co!o- OF whitish-
gray. Notice the black ears with the
yellowish spot on each. These are
characteristic markings OF the ami
NAL" said Capt. Ramsey, formerly OF
the British army, after he had dis
cussed with the New York taxiderm-
list some points about the mounting OF
the skin that he recently had brought
from India. The brute that wore this
skin fell to my gun two years ago on
the western slope of the Himalayas
near the upper waters OF the SutieJ
river. You know something OF course
Of the height and vastness OF the HI
malaya mountains. After you have
climbed from the Indian plains to
height of 10000 feet you have got to
the hunting grounds for the snow
leopard. He is fierce, shy animal.
hard to find and to kill: the difficulties
in hunting him I suppose are what
makes the sport so attractive.
AT the foot of the glaciers, at an al
titude of from $4,000 to $4,000 feet,
YOU may begin your hunting for snow
leopard.. II any Of your native serv-
ants from the low plains country
have stayed with you SO far they will
probably collapse ut this point and
will have to be sent back; but II your
men are Ghurkas of the hills, their
pluck and endurance will carry them
as high up among the mountains as
you yourself can go. The men that go
back. you replace by monntaineers'
the people whose queer little villages
stand amid. barley and buckwheat
patches, on sheltered slopes and strips
of bottom land along the Sutlej river,
All the way up to the plateau OF Tibet.
.You are now above timber line
The snowy peaks tower above the
steep and stony foreground at your
feet mostly barren but with patches OF
thin grass, caranga bushes, furze and
dwarf willow and birch tSees. Here
and there along the stream side in some
sheltered valley there may be fringe
of stunted walnut, yew or deodar
frees: ard in the rocks amid which
they grow the snow leopard il apt to
make his den. In 4 country 50 steep
and rugged it would be next to hope
less to attempt to beat up or track
down the leopard. Your effort must
be directed to decoy him within rifie
.ho.. Having marked down the place
which 4 leopard frequents. screen is
built of rocks and bushes in such way
e TO present q natural appearance
Al = distance Of 100 yards away q goat
!. chained to a rock or stake at night
fall and, with one trustworthy man,
You take your position behind the
screen. 1t is necessary that you
bring plenty of woolen blankets, Tor
The nights, high in the mountains, are
OF wintry coldness even in summer
and YOU must lie motionless. It may
be. for many hours. Uneasy in Its
strange surroundings, the goat bleats
and the sound, travelling far in the
monntain stillness, will draw the At
tention of leopard at long dis
tance away.
I'm the first nights hunting the
.nortxman searches the darkness with
III. ewes expecting every minute that
the leopard will appear. He learns in
i'm. ID take matters more cooliy-to
.rrect nothing, and to pass long hours
e.,t,rr - comfortably n he can.
n. frosty stars shine down from
clear wintry sky, the moon comes up
from behind the eastern crest, throw.
inr the snowy peaks in strong relief
.y,inst the sky, and Illuminating the
rr.y landscape around; but Of the leop.
erd there IL no sight or sound. II the
eating be long the hunter perhaps
drowxex on to sleep to Be awakened q
last II the touch Of the man watching
h..;de him and the whisper:
.Sahib, the leopard comes.
.He is fully awake 1t once. Without
novinr ! limb be follows with his eyes
-. raxe Of his attendant: but look
.lc.eIv Is he viii, he can see nothing
s-cre than was IN view before he
5rcrned on TO sleep. From the har-
srr a its colors with the tints Of tlse
r.tural objects In the mountain land-
.cane. the snow leopard. croucnine
clo.e, to the ground. can even IN clear.
80 daylight escape the observation q
nan passing within few yards Of
s,- In the night time he is - near
= ,,v;.ille q living thing Of hia
- 6. mt althou1h the hunter