-* Leopards 



spattered a proof of ho\v close the animal had been. 

 A few minutes later I came upon the leopard again, 

 and this time a well-placed bullet did tor him. Hut 

 I attribute this to good luck rather than to my own 

 skill. 



Such attacks by leopards may easily terminate fatally. 

 Mr. Hall, my host in Fort Smith at Kikuyu, related to 

 me. among other stories, the evening before; I shot my 

 three lions in that vicinity, that whilst hunting antelopes 

 near the; Xayasha Lake he met with a mishap because; 

 he had incautiously shot at a " chui." He was only 

 convalescent at the; time;, in (act just risen from a sick- 

 bed (after an unlucky encounter with a rhinoceros), 

 and was hunting again for the first time, accompanied 

 by an Askan. when he went after some impallas. A 

 leopard had the same end in view, but was speedily shot 

 at by Mr. Hall. Quick as lightning the beast sprang" on 

 the hunter and hugged him tight : undoubtedly the leopard 

 would have killed him, had not the Askan shot the 

 animal while actually on his master. Mr. Hall was 

 injured tor a very long time and was permanently lamed, 

 the sinews ot one leg being torn. 



On two other occasions 1 have been attacked by 

 wounded leopards, but happily I was able to kill the 

 enraged beasts in time. 1 can only advise the greatest 

 caution when hunting these animals. The natives declare 

 that leopards have a pronounced taste tor human tlesh. 

 like the man-eating tigers ot India. 1 have not been 

 able to obtain positive evidence ot the truth ot this. 

 but 1 will not deny that certain old leopards distinguish 



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