Year: 1872

used, but whatever the number, each Is
carried on his particular cart with driver
and two keepers. Any one Wishing to
see the fun may also sit on the cart,
"cheetah permitting" The carts are
light framework of wood and rope, con-
structed so that while the hunting party
sit on the fat tray above, the dead game
may be carried in kind of cage below.
The chcetah is blinded with q leather
hood called "tobra," and secured to
the sides Of the cart with ropes passed
from collar round his neck. The keep
ers take nothing with them but a knife
each and large wooden ladle,


A herd of deer being discovered, the
cart is carefully driven up to the leeward
of them, advantage being taken of any
ground which may favor the approach
of the cheetah. The deer are accustomed
to see the oxen and carts of the cultivators
in the fields, and unless something un-
usual strikes their eye, will allow the
party to approach within sixty or eighty
yards. The leather hood is then slipped
off, and the cheetah's head turned in the
direction of the herd.


The glare of the sum- after the enforced
darkness of the hood makes the animal
blink and stare for moment, and then
the deer catching his eye, he drops from
the cart, and, according as the ground
favors him or not, lollops or creeps toward
them. Arriving within what he consid-
ers fair starting distance-that is to say,
as near the herd as possible--he singles
out the largest buck, and, to use slang
but expressive phrase, "lays on to
him." The buck strains every nerve for
dear life, but, however fleet he may be, if
the grim enemy behind has fair start, it
is hopeless struggle from the first. AT
such time the cheetah's rush is most
astonishing. The buck, although going
at his best pace, appears to be scarcely
moving, giving the idea, often carried
away by spectators, that he is paralyZed
with fear. The buck in his agony makes
n squirt, the cheetah responds, the buck
again, then the the cheetah-a blow of the
latter's paw, a cloud of dust, confusion
of legs, and the buck is ON his back, with
the cheetah holding to his throat like o
patent wise.


The keepers now run up and hastily
slip the leather cover over the eyes of
their charge, and cutting the deer's throat
and opening the carcass, bhey fill the
large ladle with blood and pieces of liver,
and slap the haunch of the deer, calling
to the cheetah, "Ou beta" come, my SOM.
He will not always loose his hold in a
hurry, but after some cosxing transfers
his nose to the ladle, when, holding this
before him and steering him with his tail,
the keepers assist him into the cart, which
by this time shonld have arrived. The
breaking up of the deer i, then
completed, the body is packed away be-
low the cart, and the whole party proceed
as before.


Should the cheetah get fair start the
race is over in one hundred yards or so.
1t may be prolonged to two hundred or
more, but generally after two hundred
yards, if the cheetah finds he is not gain
ing, he gives up the chase, squats on his
launches, and watches the retreating
deer, or prowls sulkily about until the
keepers run up and secure him.


1t is remarkable that when the cheetah
seizes the throat Of deer the skin is not
cut, the throat is merely compressed; but
where the blow of the fore-paw is deliv.
cred on the haunch in the act of seizing,
the flesh is blackened under the skin. The
cheetah further renders his prey power
less by throwing his body across its
chest and pressing its mouth with one
paw. In fact, his whole action from be-
ginning to end is most thoroughly bust
ness-like.