THE CHEETAH. 225 



within twenty or twenty-five yards, when a few of its long leaps places 

 it on its victim's back, and it buries its teeth in the throat. 



Being docile as a dog, the Cheetah has allowed these natural gifts to 

 be developed and trained by man, and in the East it is as much a part of 

 a hunting establishment as a falcon or a pack of hounds. It is usually 

 the female that is thus used ; and when it is taken out to hunt, it is 

 hooded and placed on a light car in company with its keepers. 



The places which gazelles frequent are sought out. As soon as one 

 is perceived, the hunters stop, the Cheetah is unfastened and its eyes 

 unbandaged, and the game is pointed out to it. Immediately, under 

 cover of the high vegetation and brushwor>d, the beast glides off in pur- 

 suit, taking advantage, with unequalled tact, of the slightest breaks in 

 the ground to conceal its movements. When it considers that it is suf- 

 ficiently near its victim it suddenly shows itself, dashes on with terrible 

 impetuosity, springs on the prey after a succession of prodigious bounds, 

 and immediately pulls it to the ground. 



Its master, who has followed the events of the chase, then enters upon 

 the scene. To detach it from its victim he throws it a piece of flesh, 

 speaks gently to it, and caresses it ; after which he again covers its eyes, 

 and replaces it on the saddle or in its conveyance, while the assistants 

 carry off the quarry. 



This amusement is greatly in vogue in Mongolia, and a well-trained 

 hunting-leopard attains an extraordinary price among the inhabitants. 

 In Persia this method of hunting is not conducted in quite the same 

 way. Men and dogs beat the woods and drive the game toward the 

 hunters, who let the Cheetahs loose as the quarry passes them. 



The Cheetah can be tamed perfectly, so that it can be allowed to 

 ramble about like a dog ; it knows its master's voice and comes when 

 called, nor does it betray any objection to the caresses of strangers. A 

 Cheetah at Paris had a most excellent temper, and after a considerable 

 lapse of time, recognized a negro who had traveled on board the same 

 ship from Senegal. 



29 



