The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1921-01-14
About the Leopards

1 tarium of DalhOuSio had increased to
it's present proportions, it consisted
chiefly of girdle of habitations clus-
tering round the Bukrota, or lower
hills, and few scattered houses dot
ted about on the higher mountain,
Terah. One of these latter the writer
and friend toog for the season with
out having seen it; and I was some
what dismayed. on arrival to find how
lonely and exposed the situation was.
However, the magnificent view of the
snowy range from the veranda con-
soled me, and quickly set to work
to make the bare rooms as habitable
s possible.
II fear few of our friends will take
the trouble to mount up to this eyrie
to visit u.s." l lamented.
But the very next evening we were
to have visitor we little desired.
In an Indian bungalow very bed
room has small ante-room attached,
in which the important function of
bathing is performed The floor is of
cement and uncarpeted, to allow a
splashing; and round the tub are
placed the earthen pots of water which
are required for the bath.
The little room has always two
doors, one opening on the outer air, to
admit the water carrier with his suppl
of water, the other opening into the
bedroom.
On the evening in question, just as
dusk was falling, l had finished the
unpacking ia box in my bedroom
and was moving away, when fancied
l heard a slight sound in the bath
room. 1t was an unusual hour for the
water carriers visit; so opened the
door, and, to my horror, saw Just in
front of me tn BEAUTIFUL sleek back of
a large leopard, which was crouching
on the floor and drinking out of one of
the arthen pots. The roo mwas so
small that l found myself quite close
to the leopard, and could indeed have
touched the spots on it's glossy coat
from where stood.
| l was too frightened to move, and
stood perfectly still Fortunately for
me, the outer door, by which the crea-
ture had entered, stood wide open,
and, with singel bound, it cleared
the threshold and DISAPPEARED I'D the
hillside
Had the door blown to, or been
closed from the outside by a servant,
the animal would have had no resource
but to seek an exit by the doorway in
which I was standing, an dthe knowl-
edge of my narrow escape made us
very careful ever after about shutting
up early in the afternoon.
A few nights later we were awak-
ened by hearing the Waterman call
out loudly that there was a leopard
in the veranda, and we ran to the
window in time to see the waving of
the branches where the beast had
The palanquin bearer, who was ly-
ing rolled up i nhis blankets in the
same veranda, slept soundly on mean
while unconscious of his proximity to
the stealthy-footed creature
These leopards are cowardly ami
mails, and will never attack a human
being if they can avoid it. Their
special fancy is for little dogs, and
they will so haunt the neighborhood
of any house where dogs are kept that
the greatest care is necessary to pre-
vent the little quadrupeds falling vic
tins to the big ones.
AS the weather became bitter, they
grew less bold, and it was only to-
awrd the end of the season that we
saw them again. When snow fell on
the farther hills, they were driven to
seek food lower down, and then again
they began to infest the station. Often,
in the month of October, when coming
home late at night, / have heard the
| LlOoli &c SOlt vi Pul Ing AOio0 lIlcy Iudhe
as they rub their sides, like huge cats,
against the trunks of trees. The men
carrying my palanquin would then
step out and talk very loud to keep up
their courage.
No leopard would come near so
noisy party; and the only danger on
such occasions is of the men taking
panic and dropping the palanquin,
when the situation would be awkward
This, however, never happened to me;
and l was equally fortunate wneh
riding.
One evening we were riding quietly
home in the short cleaning, when a
larger animal jumped from the jungle
| ahova into the road clOSn in front of