A NIGHT WATCH FOR LEOPARDS. 31 
tainly was not more than six yards from me, and the 
- leopard, which probably was quite as much astonished » 
at my sudden apparition, looked at me. I must have 
appeared to him like a ghost. I seemed to be spell- 
bound. So did the leopard. 
Suddenly I came to my senses, and having no weapon 
with me I made a rush for the door, shut myself inside, 
seized my rifle, then opened the door in the quietest pos- 
sible way. Now I felt strong with my gun in hand and 
so looked out for Mr. Leopard; but the great beast had 
gone. I fancy he was as much frightened as I was. 
Such a sudden meeting in the night had never hap- 
pened to me before, and has never happened to me since; 
and I hope never will happen to me again. In the 
morning, when I awoke, the enormous foot-prints of the 
beast reminded me that it was not a dream. 
The next day I bought.a goat and tied it by the neck 
to a tree, just on the border of the forest clearing. Not 
far from the tree where the goat was tied there was anoth- 
er tree, ahuge one; so I concluded to lay in wait there for 
the leopard, and at night, every preparation having been 
made befigre dark, I brought back the goat to the village. 
~ About ten o’clock, with a torch in one hand and lead- 
ing the goat with the other, I tied the animal in the most 
secure manner, and so that the leopard would have trouble 
to carry it off at once. I went and seated myself on the 
ground, my back protected by the trunk of the huge tree 
I have just spoken to you of, and facing the goat. I am 
sure [ was not more than six yards from it. I extinguish- 
ed the torch so that it was pitch dark. At first I could 
not see a yard off, but at last my eyes got accustomed 
to the darkness, and I could see the goat plainly. The 
