WITH FLASH-LIGHT AND RIFLE 



The distance between iis was about seventy-five feet. 

 What happened now was enacted much more quickly 

 than it takes time to describe it. 



At the same moment that I raised my rifle to fire a 

 telhng shot, the leopard leaped towards me quick as a 

 flash of lightning. I saw the beast clawing the edge of the 

 ravine and almost touching my feet, and felt that there 

 was no escape possible, and no defence either, when the 

 leopard jumped back into the ravine as quickly as it 

 had attacked me. The sight of my two native com- 

 panions, who put in an appearance near me just at that 

 moment, apparently had scared the animal as much as 

 its sudden sight had staggered my men. Although I 

 did not lose my presence of mind, I did not have time 

 enough to raise my rifle and to shoot; it all happened 

 in a few seconds. A few minutes later a well - aimed 

 shot freed us of all further danger. 



Never shall I forget this experience; I can even now 

 hear the short snarls of the infuriated beast. I was 

 saved through no skill or bravery of mine, but by mere 

 luck. 



Other hunters have had similar experiences, some 

 even more thrilling and marvellous escapes than mine. 

 Mr. Hall, my host at Fort Smith, in Kikuyu, told me 

 the most blood-curdHng story of adventure I ever lis- 

 tened to. He had just recovered from the conse- 

 quences of an encounter with a rhinoceros. He was 

 such an inveterate hunter that, although he had not 



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