74 THE IMAGE OF WAR 



a strajD round his waist. I recollect an amus- 

 ing incident about this bear. The Archdeacon, 

 when on a journey, happened to put up at my 

 friend's house, and was duly introduced to the 

 bear. 



"But why," asked the man of both worlds, "do 

 you call him John the Baptist ? " 



" Because he wears a leathern girdle round his 

 loins and is very fond of honey." The Archdeacon 

 laughed heartily. 



To return, however, to our trip. We travelled 

 again that night, towards the coast this time. In 

 the morning we went out with our rifles. In a 

 piece of fairly open ground we saw a herd of axis. 

 We began our stalk, but to our disgust, just as we 

 were getting near them, they bounded to their feet 

 and made off. I was greatly, puzzled to account 

 for this, as they had not looked our way and could 

 not have got our wind. 



The mystery, however, was soon explained. From 

 behind the slope which had hidden him walked a 

 fine leopard, looking after the retreating deer. He 

 was about a hundred and twenty yards off. It 

 was Will's shot. 



" Better take the shot," I said. " He's standing 

 quite still now, and if we try to stalk him he is just 

 as likely to move off after the deer." 



Will lay down and took a steady shot. The 

 leopard disappeared. We walked across, and found 

 him lying dead, shot through the heart. 



Three days after we were at Chilaw. We had 

 to stop there some days waiting for the steamer, 

 but managed to kill time snipe- and teal-shooting, 

 and looking after our trophies. Our total bag was 



