58 MY 'SOMALI BOOK 



this, about ten yards to one side. As it was bound to 

 be a case of quick snap-shooting at close range, if any- 

 thing, and neither of the beasts was a big one, I decided 

 that the 12-bore with buckshot was the best weapon 

 to use. After a certain amount of uproar the cub broke, 

 spotted me and tried to get back but was rolled over 

 just in time, a female about three-quarters grown. 

 Soon after the mother came but saw me before she was 

 clear of the thicket, and my snap shot as she bolted 

 back was too late. After that nothing would move 

 her ; the thorn bush would not burn and was impene- 

 trable to anything less than half an hour's work 

 with axes. The sun was going down and we had to 

 give her up. Meanwhile, for the last fifteen minutes 

 another leopard had been making its voice heard not 

 far off, presumably the male calling to his mate. He 

 did not seem to be more than two or three hundred 

 yards away, so I thought it might be worth while 

 tying up the goat for him in the dusk. 



To think was to do, and I went back to the old tree. 

 I had not been ready more than three or four minutes 

 when a ivardha appeared and after a minute's recon- 

 noitring went for the goat. I threw a cartridge at the 

 brute, but he took no notice and seized the goat in 

 the middle of the back. The only remedy left, I let 

 go with my -500 and he staggered and disappeared. 

 I sat tight, as the shot did not appear to have worried 

 the leopard, who was talking again. Ten minutes 

 passed and it was getting too dark, when there was a 

 rush of a different kind, and it was the leopard this 

 time that had the goat by the throat. There was 

 just hght enough to see him dimly. " At last ! " I 



