fa COMPLETION OF THE TSAVO BRIDGE’ 115 
we disappointed, for about midnight we heard the 
click of the powerful spring, followed immediately 
by frantic roaring and plunging. I had been sitting 
all evening with my rifle by my side and a lantern 
lighted, so I immediately rushed out, followed by the 
chaukidar (watchman) carrying the lamp. As we 
approached the shed, the leopard made a frantic 
spring in our direction as far as the chain would 
allow him, and this so frightened the chawkzdar that 
he fled in terror, leaving me in utter darkness. 
The night was as black as had been the previous one, 
and I could see absolutely nothing ; but I knew the 
general direction in which to fire and accordingly 
emptied my magazine at the beast. As far as I 
could make out, he kept dodging in and out through 
the broken wall of the goat-house; but in a short 
time my shots evidently told, as his struggles ceased 
and all was still. I called out that he was dead, 
and at once everyone in the doma turned out, 
bringing all the lanterns in the place. With the 
others came my Indian overseer, who shouted that 
he too wanted revenge, as some of the goats had 
belonged to him. Whereupon he levelled his 
revolver at the dead leopard, and shutting his eyes 
tightly, fired four shots in rapid succession. Natur- 
ally not one of these touched the beast, but they 
caused considerable consternation amongst the on- 
lookers, who scattered rapidly to right and left 
Ee 
