The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-05-02

Nl-SN lOotHlI.S VI Tie I1iualdya
Mountains in the endeavor to collect
fine and rare specimens for a great
geological park in the United States.
, We were not after tigers or elephants
Dr. other we'll known game of that
Kind, but were looking particularly for
such specimens as snow leopards, black
leopards, wild dogs and the queer rae
coon-bear and other similar beasts, of
which there are very few specimens in
captivity.
Owing to the fact that we were try
ng to take animals alive there was a
gen raj order against carrying firearms,
and only we leaders of the expedition
were allowed to go into the jungle
with weapons. The result was that
even the white men soon got into the
habit of entering the thickets without
arms-not a wise thing to do, as it
burned out.
One hot afternoon While Jim Char
tiers and l were sitting in front of
the tent we both saw the gaudy body
of 4 fine boa constructor gliding away
IllO tuS JuuSlC, anu VIC bOlh uA'pSN
up and followed at once, Jim Char
tiers stopping only to snatch a laSso,
which was just the thing for him. as
he had been a cowboy in the West
f.r many years.
We had taken several fine snakes
with the lasso, and did not expect any
trouble with this one, so we pressed
into the jungle without a second
thought.
We were doomed to disappointment,
however, for the snake had disap-
peared entirely, and all our search
proved unavailing. The pursuit led
us pretty deeply into the jungle, and
at last when we gave up the chase we
found ourselves in a little amphithe-
atre of rock and bamboo. We sat
down on a fallen tree to admire the
beautiful srOt. when suddenly Jim
Charters laid his hand gently on my
arm and said in a whisper:
y DON'T move, Captain, but just squint
coward your LEFT; we're in a box"
| Gid as he directed and saw some
thing that gave mt a start, crouchinS
closely to the ground and saulrming 81
lently and swiftly as a serpent, was a
huge black leopard. Each eye was like
a fat green disk, and his tail was quiv-
ering and writing in that wicked,
snaky way that a big cat has when it
is mad. The brute was thin, and a
mere glance was enough to show that
.he was desperately hungry. No doubt
[ our hunting had spoiled the hunting
I for MN, and now he was starved into
perfect fearlessness.
This is nice, this is" WHISPERED
Jim, without moving head or eyelash.
"He's coming on steadily. Now he's
stopped. Now he's coming on again.
Nov he's stopped. At this rate he'll be
within springing distance inside Of ten
minutes"
Haven't you any weapon at all
about you" muttered I. trying to speak
without even moving my mouth.
'Oh, yes l have" said Jim. GIVE
got 9. bea. = of a weapon to fight a
BLACK leopard with. It's a penknife
that my little sister gave me when
visited the folks in New York. l guess
that it will hurt that leopard a lot, cap
tain, won't it?' And I heard Jim
chuckle even in the face of the immi-
=. nent danger.
= Here he comes crawling again.
Whispered Jim after a moment or two.
"There's only II thing to do. BE
ready when l give the word. We've
got to be quick and not miss a single
trick"
What are you going to do" asked l,
Just this" said Jim. Its q wild
experiment and may only hurry things
r I'D for us, but if it works we may win
! out and get the leopard too, and he's
worth having, not to mention the joke
! on him. Pm going to jump up in about
y another minute when the beast makes
another crawl, and I'm going to chuck
the moose around his neck. The min
ute I do we must both tail on and
pull like mad. running as fast as the
beastll let u.s."
Pm afraid that the beast won't lie
us run more than about an inch, JIM
said !. before he'll be on lis and gel
one of us sure. l don't think that you
can moose ~leopards the way you car
coyotes
What I'm figuring on" said Jim, sis
that the brute will DO Whit would seen