THE RAINY SEASON 



bring into play the 20-bore, although I do not reckon 

 upon stopping the beast at eighty yards, even with 

 the buckshot. By a lucky chance the log became 

 caught in a heap of herbage accumulated during a 

 weeding ; the leopard, checked in his spring, rolls 

 to the ground j the negro regains his advantage, and 

 is saved. I remain face to face with the animal, 

 which growls as it regards me, crouches down, and 

 awaits me. I call out to the negro to bring me my 

 rifle, soon after he arrives with the Mannlicher, with 

 which, by means of a ball in the shoulder, I bring the 

 episode to a close. This leopard, nearly as fine as the 

 last, measures about seven feet. 1 Needless to say that 

 my men received a double ration of gin. Alas ! the 

 unfortunate negro did not profit by this ; he was 

 compelled to take to his bed on account of the fright 

 he had undergone, and on the morrow developed a 

 severe attack of jaundice, which rendered him useless 

 for three weeks. 



During the following night we were awakened by 

 frightful cries ; a negro rushed to the house and called 

 out that a leopard was attacking the pigs in the 

 enclosure. We rush out in haste, but when we reach 

 the sties, built at a distance of some fifteen hundred 

 yards from the house, the robber, frightened by the 

 cries of the caretaker, had fled. We find that 

 the leopard had leapt on the roof, and, after having 

 torn it off, had jumped inside. We enter and find 



1 2 metres, 25 centimetres. 



(83) 



