C'H. X.] 



CHEETA AND ANTELOPES. 



169 



way, for the moment you stop they will fancy they are perceived, 

 and take wing. It is by driving round and round, constantly con- 

 tracting the circle, and never stopping, that the bullock-cart, carrying 

 the trained cheeta, is often brought within 100 yards of the herd of 

 antelopes, amidst which is unsuspiciously browsing the doomed dark 

 buck.* Driven directly towards the herd, the cart could not ap- 



* The cheeta invariably selects 

 the buck, passing by the nearer 

 does and fawns. I never saw 

 but one instance to the contrary. 

 On that occasion the cheeta en- 

 deavoured to secure what appeared 

 to be his easiest victim a young 

 fawn; but the little creature twisted 

 and doubled so rapidly, that it 

 escaped perfectly uninjured. The 

 turbaned keeper, greatly surprised, 

 begged the spectators to remain 

 at a respectful distance while he 

 proceeded to secure the panting, 

 baffled animal. The caution was 

 not unnecessary ; for the disap- 

 pointed beast, though usually very 

 tractable, struck at the man's arm 

 and tore it. On examination a 

 large thorn was found in one of 

 the animal's fore paws, which fully 

 explained the cause of his not 

 bounding after the lord of the 

 herd, when he had, in cat-like 

 manner, stealthily crawled as near 

 as any intervening bushes would 

 afford concealment. This pre- 

 liminary part of the affair is at 

 times very tedious ; the rest is 

 quickly settled : for the wondrous 

 springs of the cheeta (whose form 

 then so apparently dilates, 1 that 

 the observer, if a novice, starts 

 in the belief that he suddenly sees 

 a royal tiger) soon exhaust him, 

 which accounts for his always 

 creeping as near as possible before 

 openly commencing his attack. 



The education of the cheeta is 

 no less progressive than that of 

 the dog ; and whatever patience 



the latter may require from his 

 instructor, the former demands 

 far greater ; not so much from 

 want of docility, as from the nearly 

 total absence of all the feelings of 

 attachment so conspicuous in the 

 canine race. The cubs when they 

 are very young are stolen from the 

 rocky fastnesses where they are 

 usually bred. They are imme- 

 diately hooded, and allowed no 

 other exercise than what they can 

 take when they are led about by 

 their keeper. While he is feeding 

 them, he invariably shouts in a 

 peculiar key. In a month or so 

 their eager looks, animated ges- 

 tures, and possibly cheerful purr- 

 ing, testify that they comprehend 

 its import as fully as a hungry 

 young ensign does " the roast beef 

 of old England." They are then 

 slightly chained, each to a separate 

 bandy (bullock-cart), and ha- 

 bituated to its motion. They are 

 always fed during the drive. They 

 thus learn to expect a good meal 

 in the course of their airing. After 

 a time the keeper, instead of feed- 

 ing a promising pupil while he is 

 a prisoner, goes to a little distance 

 from the bandy and utters the 

 singular cries now so joyfully 

 heard, upon which an attendant 

 slipping off the chain and hood 

 the liberated cheeta runs to his 

 trainer to be fed. By degrees this 

 is done at increased distances. He 

 is always conducted back to the 

 carriage by the keeper's dragging 

 at the lump of meat of which the 



1 A dealer often says in praise 

 of a small horse, and great praise 

 it is " You may fancy him a little 



one now, but wait till you see him 

 move, and then you'll think him 

 a big one." 



