CHAP. vi. LEOPARDS. 297 



did so and examined the place. It was a fissure between 

 two rocks of some eighteen inches high, and a couple of 

 yards broad, and the animal was evidently pretty far 

 back, as the hounds were lying scraping at the entrance, 

 unable to reach it. At last one of the Dutchmen laid 

 himself down flat, and in spite of our remonstrances when 

 we saw his object, pulled the hounds away, and holding 

 his gun at full-cock in front of him, dragged himself to 

 the entrance, so that he could see in. When he did so I 

 raised my gun, and cocking both barrels, now both loaded 

 with slugs, held myself in instant readiness to fire if the 

 brute attacked him. A second afterwards he had fired, 

 having first warned us with an exclamation, and as I 

 heard the growl and rush of the animal, for I could not 

 see for the smoke, I also fired, rather at random, I am 

 afraid, but fortunately with the result of just catching it 

 as it came out, and killing it on the spot. The Dutch- 

 man's last bullet, aimed between the two eyes, which he 

 had seen glaring upon him out of the darkness, had struck 

 it too high in the head, and had glanced, while his first 

 had entered in the chest, and passed through its whole 

 length. The skin, which, though a handsome one, was 

 much spoilt with my slugs, we gave to the farmer whose 

 sheep had been taken, and six years after, when calling 

 there, I saw it still in existence. 



Lying in wait for them is, however, an easier mode of 

 getting shots, though it may occasionally become rather 

 an exciting one. On the two occasions on which, when 

 by myself, I have killed leopards in this way, the whole 

 affair has been more or less tame ; but I have heard of 

 cases where the wounded animal has discovered its 



