SHOOT A LEOPARD 417 



while beating not far from the Kuladan river. Some villagers 

 from the far side of the river had reported that a couple of 

 leopards had recently carried off several goats and pigs, and 

 begged that the animals might be shot. So bold, in fact, had 

 they become that pigs and dogs had been carried off in broad 

 daylight. I determined to rid the neighbourhood of these 

 pests if possible, and as the villagers knew the locality in 

 which the leopards had taken up their quarters, I sent word 

 to say that I would go over the next day if beaters were 

 collected, and that they were to meet me on my arrival at the 

 village. I crossed the river in the early morning and, after a 

 short palaver with the head-man and beaters, we made tracks 

 for the spot where the leopards were supposed to be lying up. 

 We beat several strips of jungle without coming across any 

 signs, and with the exception of barking deer, a pig, and some 

 jungle fowl, nothing was seen. But later on our efforts were 

 rewarded. 



The cover to be beaten was a long low-lying ridge with 

 very thin bush extending down either side, scarcely sufficient, 

 one would think, to afford cover for such large animals. There 

 was a small patch of thick cover, however, at the far end of the 

 ridge where the beaters were to begin, and where the leopards 

 proved to have been in hiding. I took up my position on 

 the top, and two men with guns were stationed at the foot of 

 the ridge, one on either side of me about 120 yards away, and 

 these were instructed to turn the leopards in my direction if 

 possible. The beaters now began their work some 400 

 yards off, moving in a semi-circle so as to prevent the 

 leopards from breaking away on either side. The ground 

 in my immediate front and to my right and left for about 

 50 or 60 yards was fairly open, so I hoped to obtain an easy 

 shot. The beaters drew nearer, and soon I heard a slow 

 " pitter-patter " on the dry leaves some 20 yards ahead, and a 

 large leopard came into view about ten paces from where I 

 was standing. On perceiving me he stopped and turned 

 partly round as if to pass on my right, showing me his teeth 

 at the same time while he uttered a low guttural snarl. I 

 raised my 12-bore, which was loaded with spherical ball and 

 3 drams of powder, and sent a ball through his right shoulder. 



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