IN AFRICAN FOREST AND JUNGLE 



I said to Rogala, Shinshooko, and Alapal : " To- 

 night I shall not sleep, but will watch for leopards 

 near the goat-house. Perhaps some of them will 

 come when they scent the goats ; so do not be afraid 

 if you hear the detonation of a gun. I want all the 

 dogs to be shut up indoors." 



When evening came, I took a nap, for I knew that 

 it was the habit of the leopards not to prowl before 

 midnight, unless famished. 



Towards eleven o'clock I awoke, and then made 

 ready for the leopards. I took up a position opposite 

 the goat-house under the veranda of a little house, 

 where I was partly hidden from view. I surrounded 

 myself with branches of trees I had gathered during 

 the day. There I waited. 



The moon, that was on the wane, rose and threw a 

 dim light all around. It was an ideal night for lying 

 in wait for a leopard. 



One o'clock came and no leopard had made his ap- 

 pearance. Time went on slowly. Two o'clock, no 

 leopard. I began to think that they would not call, 

 when suddenly the goats began to bleat. They had 

 scented the approach of a beast of prey and become 

 terrified; Suddenly I saw from behind one of the 

 houses and among three or four plantain trees some- 

 thing moving. It was the leopard. He was coming. 



37 



