THE HUNTING-LEOPARD. 205 
chase by one who has enjoyed the sport, wiil give the best idea 
of the manner in which it is conducted. 
“Just before we reached our ground, the camel-courier, 
who always moved on our flanks in search of game, reported a 
herd of Antelopes about half a mile out of the line of march, 
and the Chitas being at hand, we went in pursuit of them. The 
Leopards are each accommodated with a flat-topped cart, with- 
out sides, drawn by two bullocks, and each animal has two 
attendants. ‘They are loosely bound by a collar and rope to 
the back of the vehicle, and are also held by the keeper by a 
strap round the loins. A leathern hood covers the eyes. The 
Antelopes being exceedingly timid and wild, the best way to 
enjoy the sport is to sit on the cart alongside the driver ; for 
the vehicle being built like the carts of the peasants, to the 
sight of which the Antelopes are accustomed, it is not difficult, 
by careful management, to approach within two hundred yards 
of the game. On the occasion in question there were three 
Chitas in the field, and we proceeded towards the spot where 
the herd had been seen, in a line, with an interval of a hundred 
yards between each cart. On emerging from a cotton-field, 
we came in sight of four Antelopes, and my driver managed to 
get within a hundred yards of them, ere they took alarm. The 
Chita was quickly unhooded and loosed from his bonds; and 
as soon as he viewed the game, he dropped quietly off the cart, 
on the opposite side to that on which they stood, and approached 
them at a slow crouching canter, masking himself by every bush 
and inequality which lay in his way. As soon, however, as 
they began to show alarm, he quickened his pace, and was in 
the midst of them ina few bounds. He singled out a doe, 
and ran it close for about two hundred yards, when he reached 
it with a blow of his paw, rolled it over, and in an instant was 
sucking the life’s-blood from its throat. One of the other 
Chitas was slipped at the same time, but after making four or 
