222 WILD LIFE UNDER THE EQUATOR. 
the woods like my men; that is to say, with almost noth- 
ing to cover them. 
If you could have had a peep at us, you would have 
seen us as I have just been describing ourselves to you; 
and I have no doubt many of you would have been 
glad to join our party. I love to look back upon those 
days. It was a wild life indeed, one that no civilized 
man had led before me, for no one had ever gone into 
such a country. 
Friend Malaouen then told us the story of a leopard, 
and began thus: 
“When I was a boy our clan lived on the banks of 
the Rembo Ngouyai, a river which flows the other side 
of the Ashankolo Mountains, and which you have not 
seen, Chaillee. 
“The village where my parents lived was very large, 
and, as the people were always at war, it was fenced 
about. While there, one of our men disappeared, and 
was changed into a leopard. From that time people 
from time to time began to disappear; they were car- 
ried away by that leopard,and we could only see the 
clots of blood left behind, but could not trace them into 
the woods. We were afraid—for nothing is so terrible 
as a leopard that was once a man. No spear can go 
through him, no trap can ever catch him, and woe to the 
man who ever tries to face the beast ;” and, as Malaouen 
said this, his face and that of Querlaouen and Gambo 
contracted themselves with fear; their superstitions were 
very strong, and overcame the great courage they pos- 
sessed. I could hear distinctly the breathing of each 
man, as by instinct each seized his gun near by. 
Then Malaouen continued : 
