THE SETTIT EIVER 141 



bourhood, but there was practically no sound from 

 the leopard, and listening most intently I was only 

 able to catch the slightest possible growl, and was 

 quite uncertain whether I had hit or missed, or which 

 way the leopard had gone. In fact, I turned off the 

 light and passed the rest of the night under the 

 impression that I had scored a miss ; this idea 

 receiving support from the fact that some time after 

 the shot I heard pebbles move on the bank behind 

 me. Indeed, I drew my revolver, under the idea 

 that the leopard was reconnoitring the machan, 

 which was within easy distance of the ground. How- 

 ever, the night passed without further incident, 

 and at dawn I descended and carefully examined 

 the path behind the machan, up which it was obvious 

 that the leopard had come, though there was no blood 

 or sign of his having gone back. Finally I returned 

 to the machan, being practically sure that I had 

 missed, and started to join the camel and shikaris, 

 who had already come over. Later on I examined 

 the ground very carefully here also, and saw what 

 looked like spots of blood dried into the sand, and a 

 pace or two further a piece of meat half the size of 

 a walnut. I was, however, quite unable to make out 

 any tracks, but the shikaris, coming up, saw the piece 

 of meat, and took up the trail without the least 

 hesitation, showing me some large spots of blood 

 on a rock a few paces further ; and less than twenty 



