CH. v] A LEOPARD HUNT 113 



back Kermit hit him again, crippHng him in the hips. 

 The wounds were fatal, and they would have knocked 

 the fight out of any animal less plucky and savage than 

 the leopard ; but not even in Africa is there a beast of 

 more imflinching courage than this spotted cat. The 

 beaters were much excited by the sight of the charge 

 and the way in whicii it was stopped, and they pressed 

 jubilantly forward — too heedlessly. One of them, who 

 was on McMillan's side of the thicket, went too near it, 

 and out came the woimded leopard at him. It was 

 badly crippled, or it would have got the beater at once ; 

 as it was, it was slowly overtaking him as he ran 

 through the tall grass, when McMillan, standing on an 

 ant-heap, shot it again. Yet, in spite of having this 

 third bullet in it, it ran down the beater and seized 

 him, worrying him with teeth and claws. But it w^as 

 weak because of its wounds, and the powerful savage 

 wrenched himself free, while McMillan fired into the 

 beast again, and back it went through the long grass 

 into the thicket. There was a pause, and the wounded 

 beater was remoAcd to a place of safety, while a 

 messenger was sent on to us to bring up the Boer 

 dogs. But while they were waiting, the leopard, on 

 its own initiative, brought matters to a crisis ; for out it 

 came again straight at Kermit, and this time it dropped 

 dead to Kermit's bullet. No animal could have shown 

 a more fearless and resolute temper. It was an old 

 female, but small, its weight being a little short of 

 seventy pounds. The smallest female cougar I ever 

 killed was heavier than this, and one very big male cougar 

 which I killed in Colorado was three times the weight. 

 Yet I have never heard of any cougar which displayed 

 anything like the spirit and ferocity of this little leopard, 

 or which in any way approached it as a dangerous foe. 



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