JAUNTS IN THE JUNGLE. 107 



Before arriving at the plain, we halted to place a 

 hood over the heads of the cheetahs, after performing 

 which we again moved on, and were soon on the vast 

 range of sands. 



Straining my eyes till they were nearly a quarter 

 of an inch out of their sockets, in a vain attempt to 

 catch the outline of some antelopes, that I was in- 

 formed were just disclosing their antlers some mile 

 ahead, I was told to make ready for a burst, if I 

 wanted to be " in at the death." 



At the same moment, one of the bandages was 

 taken off a cheetah's eyes, when, drawing himself up 

 on his platform, he took a deliberate look round the 

 far horizon ; at last, his head was fixed, his eyes were 

 lit up with the most vivid glare, and, with a bound, 

 he was at once upon his errand. 



Setting off at a gallop close behind him, I was 

 presently saluted with a quiet sort of a growl, by way 

 of admonition that I was to keep my distance ; so 

 falling into the rear about a quarter of a mile, I 

 had an opportunity of watching well the tactics of 

 the aggressor. 



Instead of continuing on at the same pace at which 

 he started, the nearer he approached the antelope, 

 the more he slackened his pace, until, at length, he 

 settled down into a slow, crouching walk, keeping 

 his eyes still fixed on one point before him. 



There was a small ridge of rising ground between 

 us and the deer, and on reaching this he came to a 



