HUNTING & SHOOTING IN CEYLON 



Not more than about three years ago a very extra- 

 ordinary case occurred at a small village called Ratmale, 

 just north of the road from Minneriya to Kauduluwewa, 

 and about 5 miles from Minneriya village. A man 

 sleeping in the small open verandah of his house one 

 night in the hot weather was actually carried off by a 

 leopard, killed, and partly eaten. The next morning a 

 number of the villagers went to look for the body, and 

 found it in some scrub just beyond the village, and they 

 must have considered it a matter of great importance that 

 the leopard should be slain, for they actually proposed to 

 leave the body in situ, fence it round, and set a spring-gun 

 over it. 



Whilst discussing this matter, one man suddenly saw 

 the leopard looking lazily at them over the weed growth 

 not 50 yards away. 



It was actually lying down, fully fed and at peace with 

 all the world, and merely took a casual glance at the crowd, 

 lying down again for a further snooze, probably annoyed at 

 being so thoughtlessly disturbed. 



A Tamil man of sporting proclivities, who happened to 

 be present, went a bit nearer to the animal, shot at it with 

 his old " gaspipe " and broke its shoulder, whereupon it 

 attempted to get away but was followed up by the crowd, 

 again shot, and killed. 



The tale of the occurrence was told me by one of my 

 old shikaries who lived in a village not far from Ratmale, 

 and it is certainly a remarkable case, as the country round 

 about is very gamey, and this village also possesses lots of 

 cattle easily available, so that the leopard could hardly have 

 been driven to desperation through hunger. 



One never knows when a wild animal will break through 

 its ordinary habits and perform some extraordinary deed, 



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