TIGER SLAYER BY ORDER 



natural barrier, such as a thick bush. But the watcher 

 must be careful not to move or make the slightest noise, 

 as the leopard is most wary and cautious in approaching 

 his kill. 



In following up a wounded leopard, the very greatest 

 caution is always necessary, as the most practised eye 

 cannot discover these animals unless they are on the 

 move, their colour assimilating so perfectly to the ground 

 and jungle they are in as to render them practically 

 invisible. 



It is this peculiarity which makes a wounded leopard so 

 dangerous an animal to follow, for the sportsman may be 

 quite close to him and yet be quite unaware of the fact 

 till he charges, which he will certainly do in nine cases out 

 of ten and with a courage and ferocity far exceeding that 

 of a tiger, and is, moreover, so quick in his movements that 

 he is extremely difficult to kill, as he is also a very small 

 target to aim at. 



When shooting on one occasion with Probyn and 



W of the Civil Service, we had marked down a panther 



in the bed of a river close to our camp. By the shouts of 

 the beaters, we soon knew the beast was started, and pre- 

 sently it came out and stood facing us about twenty yards 



distant, Probyn and myself being on foot and W on a 



tree on the opposite bank. 



As soon as the panther appeared, Probyn whispered 

 to me that he would take the shot, as he was anxious to 

 try the effects of buck-shot on one of these animals, and 

 this was an excellent opportunity. On the report of the 

 gun the panther charged, with lightning rapidity, straight 

 for the smoke. 



When within five paces, however, he swerved to the 

 right, and I shot him through the shoulder with my Rigby. 

 Nevertheless, he managed to reach a patch of cypress into 

 which he disappeared. We had an elephant out with us, 

 and mounting it, cautiously approached the spot, where we 

 found him lying dead. 



On skinning the beast later we found that some of the 

 pellets had pierced the lungs, which no doubt would eventu- 

 ally have killed him. 



The cartridge (Kynoch's brass) was loaded with 5 drams 

 74 



