THE RAINY SEASON 



claws, and ferocious mien, growling at the same time 

 with all the power of its throat. 



During this season I killed, on Mr. Puech's conces- 

 sion alone, twenty leopards, one lioness, five hyaenas, 

 two civets, three dog-faced baboons, two bushbucks, 

 and three porcupines. During two periods in which 

 I was absent this season my dear wife valiantly killed 

 with her 20-bore and buckshot two leopards, one 

 hyaena, and one porcupine ; the rest were killed by 

 myself. 



I cannot give here the details of each capture ; 

 and will content myself with narrating two of the most 

 interesting. On the 16th of May a negro, on his 

 return from his village, woke me up at daybreak and 

 told me that when passing along the track, near 

 which was placed a baited trap, an enormous animal 

 securely held in the trap had endeavoured to spring 

 upon him. He could not tell me whether it was a 

 lion or a leopard. I dressed in haste and ran to the 

 spot. With a fierce growling, a huge leopard sprang 

 towards me, making trap, chain, and log rebound. 

 He was about fifteen yards distant, and the first ball, 

 well placed but unfortunate, did not stop him ; he 

 made two bounds before receiving my second pro- 

 jectile, which made him roll over struggling at a 

 distance of seven yards from me. A long spasm coursed 

 over his limbs, his claws shot forth and then slowly 

 retracted, and the pupils of the eye, dilated by the 

 struggle, became glassy. All was over. The leopard 



(81) 



7-U135) 



