CHAP. l.J 



LEOPARDS. 



139 



The Veddahs in Bintenne, whose principal stores consist 

 of honey, live in dread of the bears, because, attracted by 

 the perfume, they will not hesitate to attack their rude 

 dwellings, when allured by this irresistible temptation. The 

 Post-office runners, who always travel by night, are fre- 

 quently exposed to danger from these animals, especially 

 along the coast from Putlam to Aripo, where they are found 

 in considerable numbers ; and, to guard against surprise, 

 they are accustomed to carry flambeaux, to give warning 

 to the bears, and enable them to shuffle out of the path. 1 



Leopards 2 are the only formidable members of the 

 tiger race in Ceylon, and they are neither very nume- 



1 Amongst the Singhalese there is 

 a belief that certain charms are effi- 

 cacious in protecting them from the 

 violence of bears, and those whose 

 avocations expose them to encounters 

 of this kind are accustomed to carry 

 a talisman either attached to their 

 neck or enveloped in the folds of their 

 luxuriant hair. A friend of mine, 

 writing of an adventure which oc- 

 curred at Anarajapoora, thus de- 

 scribes an occasion on which a Moor, 

 who attended him, was somewhat 

 rudely disabused of his belief in the 

 efficacy of charms upon bears : 

 " Desiring to change the position of a 

 herd of deer, the Moorman (with his 

 charm) was sent across some swampy 

 land to disturb them. As he was 

 proceeding we saw him suddenly 

 turn from an old tree and run back 

 with all speed, his hair becoming un- 

 fastened and like his clothes stream- 

 ing in the wind. It soon became 

 evident that he was flying from some 

 terrific object, for he had thrown 

 down his gun, and, in his panic, he 

 was taking the shortest line towards 

 us, which lay across a swamp covered 

 with sedge 'and rushes that greatly 

 impeded his progress, and prevented 

 us approaching him, or seeing what 

 was the cause of his flight. Missing 

 his steps from one hard spot to an- 

 other lie repeatedly fell into the 

 water, but he rose and resumed his 

 flight. I advanced as far as the sods 



would bear my weight, but to go fur- 

 ther was impracticable. Just within 

 ball range there was an open space, 

 and, as the man gained it, I saw that 

 he was pursued by a bear and two 

 cubs. As the person of the fugitive 

 covered the bear, it was impossible 

 to fire without risk. At last he fell 

 exhausted, and the bear being close 

 upon him, I discharged both barrels. 

 The first broke the bear's shoulder, 

 but this only made her more savage, 

 and rising on her hind legs she ad- 

 vanced with ferocious growls, when 

 the second barrel, though I do not 

 think it took effect, served to frighten 

 her, for turning round she retreated 

 at full speed, followed by the cubs. 

 Some natives then waded through 

 the mud to the Moorman, who was 

 just exhausted and would have been 

 drowned but that he fell with his 

 head upon a tuft of grass : the poor 

 man was unable to speak, and for 

 several weeks his intellect seemed 

 confused. The adventure sufficed to 

 satisfy him that he could not again 

 depend upon a charm to protect him 

 from bears, though he always insisted 

 that but for its having fallen from 

 his hair where he had fastened it 

 under his turban, the bear would not 

 have ventured to attack him." 



2 Felispardus,Z?'/w. What is called 

 a leopard, or a cheetah, in Ceylon, is 

 in reality the true panther. 



