The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1906-05-04

Mountains in the endesvO to collect
line and rare specimens for a great
geological park in the United States.
we were not after tigers or elephants
or other well known game of that
kind, but were looking particularly for
such specimens as snow leopards. black
leopards, wild dogs and the queer rae
cOOn-Dear and other similar beasts. of
which there are very few specimens in
captivity.
Owing to the fact that we were try
fng to take animals alive there was a
gen sral 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 wise thing to do, as it
turned out.
One hot afternoon While Jim Char
ters and I were sitting in front of
the tent we both saw the gaudy body
of fine boa constructor gliding away
into the jungle, and we both jumped
up and followed at once, Jim Char
ters stopping only to snatch lasso.
which was just the thing for him. as
he had been a cowboy in the West
fer 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 q second
thought.
We were doomed to disappointment,
however, for the snake had disap-
pearel 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 little amphithe-
atre Of rock and bamboo. We sat
down on a fallen tree to admire the
beautiful SPOT. when suddenly Jim
Charters laid his hand gently on my
arm and said in a whisper:
Don't move, Captain, but jus. squint
coward your left; we're in box"
cid as he directed and saw some
thing that gave me start, crouching
closely to the ground and souirming 81
lently and swiftly as serpent, was
huge back leopard. Each eye was like
4 fiat green disk, and his tail Was quiv-
ering and writhing In that wicked,
snaky way that a big cat has when it
is mad. The brute was thin, and q
mere glance was enough to show that
lie was desperately nungry. No doubt
our hunting had spoiled the hunting
I for nm, 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.
Now he's stopped. At this rate he'll be
within springing distance inside OF ten
minutes"
Haven't you any weapon at all
about your" muttered /. trying to speak
without even moving my mouth.
"Oh. yes I have" said Jim. 'I've
got bea y Of a weapon to fight a
black leopard with. It's q penknife
that my little sister gave me when
visited the folks in New York. guess
that it will hurt that l,orarc q 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 moment or two.
'"There's only one thing to do. Be
ready when give the word. We've
rot to be quick and not miss Z single
trick"
"What are You going to do?" asked I.
~Just this" said Jim. ITS e wild
experiment and may only hurry things
up Tor us, but II 1t works We may win
out and set the leopard too. and he's