Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-03-13
UNDER A LEOPARD.
Courage, Presence Of Mind Lucky
Knife Thrust Put Him Out of Peril.

"BulaIa" Taylor was one OF the early
settlers in the South African country that
is now Matabeleland. He was the Char
tered company's right hand man in those
days, and the natives held him in whole-
some respect More than once he
checked threatening disorder almost single
handed, and whenever there was an up
rising 1t was Bulala who took command
of the white forces. But this is a story
of Bulala junior, his son, stocky little
chip of he old block. 1t happened during
one Of the fathers absences In the field.
The youngster, left in charge OF tho
family commissariat. spent two or three
evenings each week in hunting-and with
invariabie success, for he was a "cracka
shot, for all his youth.
One morning he was late-hours late<
His mother became anxious and sent
some Kaffirs out to take up his spoor. Al
little way out they met his horse limpins
home, shivering and bleeding from many
wounds.
The little baas must be killed.
The Kafirs were OF along the track aA
fast as their feet would carry them.
They wanted to save the boys remains
before the lion could eat them They
found the remains-of a leopard-and
Bulala junior was calmly skinning them,
A few feet away was the torn carcass Of
q freshly killed buck.
In awe the Kafirs squatted round ana
with only the interjection of an occadon1
al "augh" Of admiration listened to the
man-childs story.
'Insimbe." said BuIala Junior. address,
ing himself to the Oldest Kaff1r. you see
the little duykerbok. killed him, and he
afterward saved my life. thought the
box would be enough meat for all Of us.
and was slowly riding home The ground
was stony and the bush thick. The sun
made me drowsy and / wasn't careful to
look about me. The horse had to pick
his way. Just as he turned that bigbush,
he almost ran over this leopard.
Il don't know which was most sur
prised, the horse or the leopard or I. The
leopard had no time to turn back; he just
had to spring. Before my eyes could
open and close twice the leopard was on
my horses shoulders, trying to get grip
with his claws into the box in front Of
me.
"The horse squealed and jumped. my
gun flew out of my hands. and found
myself lying on my back on the ground
The little box was lying across my stom-
ach and legs, and the leopard was claw
ing and biting him frantically. / felt the
blood from his body trickling through
my shirt Insmbe, / was frightened!
From the corners of my eyes l saw
my rifle, but it was too far off to reach.
| just had to lie and play dead. II I
moved a muscle and the leopard saw it
he would give me one blow and finish me.
Once or twice he looked up at me. and
through my half closed eyes l saw the
blood dripping from his jaws. 1t was
lucky he was so hungry.
'At last his hunger wore off. Insimbe.
He got TO his feet and came and smelled
my face. Spots of thick blood dripped on
to my cheeks. oh, Insmbe. did you ever
lie and let snakes tongue lick your
face? He breathed over me and smeiled
me carefully, then, satisfied l was dead.
went back to his meal.
For minutes whcih seemed like hours
the leopard tore and chewed and as he
became less hungry he became more par
ticular. Two or three times he changed
his position and each time I wanted to
shout in fear. If l could only get at my
hunting knife, which l could feel in my
belt; but l dared not move.
"At last the beast began to drag the
box off me In order to get at its other
side AS the box slipped off / moved
with it as part of it, And I grasped my
knife. Even then I dared not get up.
just waited and waited. At last chance
came to make my one stab. I was des-
perate, and l took it. The leopard stood
up to stretch himself and looked away
from me.
II jumped to my feet and made blind
slash at his hind quarters. Then l sprans
away; not a bit too soon either See my,
shirt, Insimbe?
He leaped on me and his fore paws
grazed me andthrew me on my race.
When scrambled up again and reached
my rifle he had collapsed and was snap
ping and splitting like cat My wild cut
had hamstrung his near hind leg.
"Ie only sat and snapped for an In
slant though: then the pain and anger
made hin, mad and he rushed at me on
three legs.
II shot him. See how the hair Is singer
round the bullet hode. he?-Youth,s
COMPANION.