98 Wild Life in Central Africa. 



By climbing a tree for a distance of six or eight feet one 

 could get away from a buffalo or rhino, but such a height 

 would be no safeguard against an elephant, lion, or leopard. 



When wounded, the leopard can be a very dangerous 

 animal, although he is easy to kill as a rule. In charging 

 he comes along with a spring or bound, and is thus very 

 hard to hit. A friend, who has had the opportunity of 

 shooting a good number of leopards, told me that, when 

 wounded and followed, they will generally move on twice 

 when disturbed ; but that they almost invariably charge on 

 being closely approached for the third time. They take 

 cover behind the slightest vegetation, and, when lying 

 quiet, they are most difficult to see. For following such 

 an animal one could not possibly have a better weapon 

 than an ordinary 12-bore shotgun loaded with A.A.A. 

 or S.S.G. 



In big-game shooting there are many indirect risks 

 appertaining to the sport which might be considered, 

 and possibly the worst of these is being bitten by a 

 poisonous snake when tramping through rough bush and 

 grass in bare legs. Personally, I cannot bear any covering 

 on my legs w r hile shooting in Central Africa, as putties are 

 much too warm and they seem to prevent free action of the 

 muscles. Gaiters are better, especially if made of cloth, 

 but they soon get torn to bits by rough, sharp grass and 

 thorns. Stockings, like putties, are too hot, and they do 

 not last for any time in this country under the rough usage 

 they are exposed to. Snakes do not seem to strike higher 

 than the lower part of the calf ; but, luckily, most of them 

 seem to be possessed of acute hearing, and quickly glide off. 



The puff adder is by far the most dangerous African 

 snake, owing to its lethargic habits, and on several 

 occasions I have had narrow escapes of being bitten, 

 although I will not inflict the details on the reader, as snake 

 stories, like fish stories, are common, and unfortunately not 

 all true. I think I have read more bunkum about snakes 

 than of any other living creature, and most of the really 

 " tall " stories come from America or Australia. 



