SWASURI AND THE LEOPARD 63 



the bullet on this occasion striking him full in 

 the mouth and tearing its way right through him. 

 At the same time, Swasuri (the others had fled), 

 picking up a spear that was standing against one 

 of the supports of the banda, ran up behind me 

 and pluckily flung it at the brute, unfortunately 

 missing him. As I leaped aside, however, the 

 impetus of the animal's spring carried him past 

 me, and he came down with all his weight upon 

 the poor girl, bringing her with a crash to the 

 ground. Though it was an expiring effort, he 

 managed to drive his claws into her neck 

 and inflict an awful gash right down her 

 breast. Raising my rifle, I brought it down with 

 all my might upon the animal's skull, braining 

 him as he lay on top of the girl, the force 

 of the blow smashing the stock of the rifle to 

 pieces. Then, seizing the leopard by the leg, 

 I dragged him off Swasuri's prostrate and inert 

 form. 



The camp was now all excitement ; my men and 

 their women, having heard the fusillade, came 

 hurrying to the scene of operations. Without 

 delay I turned my attention to Swasuri, who, I 

 feared, had been killed, but a few moments after- 

 wards, to my great relief, she regained conscious- 

 ness and opened her eyes. I promptly dressed 

 and disinfected her wounds, and on the com- 



