HUNTING WITH THE CHEETAH. 



77 



are uncovered, he generally gallops after it, until it approaches so near that he can seize it by a rapid 

 spring. This gallop is as quick as the course of well-mounted horsemen. Sometimes, but rarely, the 

 Cheetah endeavours to approach the game by stealth, and goes round a hill or rock until he can come 

 upon it by surprise. This account of the manner of hunting I collected from the conversation of Sir 

 Arthur Wellesley, who, while commanding officer at Seringapatam, kept five Cheetahs that formerly 

 belonged to Tippoo Sultan.' Mr. Vigne writes thus : ' The hunting with Cheetahs has often been 

 described, but it requires strong epithets to give an idea of the creature's speed. When slipped from 

 the cart, he first walks towards the Antelope with his tail straightened, and slightly raised, the hackle 

 on his shoulder erect, his head depressed, and his eyes intently fixed upon the poor animal, who does 

 not yet perceive him. As the Antelope moves, he does the same, first trotting, then cantering after 



him ; and when the prey starts off, the Cheetah makes a rush, to which (at least I thought so) the 

 speed of a racehorse was, for the moment, much inferior. The Cheetahs that bound or spring \ipon 

 their prey are not much esteemed, as they are too cunning. The good ones fairly run it down. When 

 we consider that no English Greyhound ever yet, I believe, fairly ran into a doe Antelope, which is 

 faster than the buck, some idea may be formed of the strides and velocity of an animal who usually 

 closes with her immediately, but fortunately cannot draw a second breath, and, consequently, unless 

 he strike the Antelope down at once, is obliged instantly to stop and give up the chase. He then 

 walks about for three or four minutes in a towering passion, after which he again submits to be helped 

 on the cart. He always singles out the biggest buck from the herd, and holds him by the throat until 

 he is disabled, keeping one paw over the horns to prevent injury to himself. The doe he seizes in the 

 same manner, but is careless of the position in which he may hold her.' The natives assert that (in 

 the wild state) if the ground is not very favourable for his approaching them without being seen, he 

 makes a circuit to the place where he thinks they will pass over, and if there is not grass enough 

 to cover him, he scrapes up the earth all round, and lies flat until they approach so near that by 

 a few bounds he can seize on his prey. Mr. W. Elliott says, ' They are taught always to single 



