HENDRICK AND THE LEOPARD. 153 



viciously. When he saw that I had discovered him, he 

 sprung quickly to the ground, and darted away through 

 the long grass. I had just time to fire at him as he went, 

 and saw by the twist of his body that I had wounded 

 him ; but he jumped along like a cat, and as though not 

 much damaged. I ran up the ravine to my horse, and 

 galloped after the leopard, which I could see going 

 along very fast. He was making for a much larger 

 ravine, where some tall trees showed their tops above 

 the banks. 



" Leaving my horse outside, I went into the ravine on 

 the spoor, which I had great difficulty in following, as 

 the briers and wait-a-bit thorns were troublesome to push 

 through. 



' ' After a little way I saw some blood, and could now get 

 on better; my gun had a good charge of powder in it, 

 and I held it ready for a shot, and felt that my knife was 

 loose in the sheath. I did not much like the work, now I 

 was really at it; but it would never do to go back and say 

 I had not looked to see if my leopard were dead. 



" I sat still a little while to collect my pluck and listen 

 for any sign : not discerning any noise, I moved on again. 



" When I was down nearly at the bottom of the ravine, I 

 suddenly saw close to me the wounded leopard : he did 

 not run away this time, but crouched down and spit at 

 me like a spiteful cat, laying his ears back and showing his 

 teeth. I fired straight at him at once, and must have hit 

 him; but he still did not move for about an instant. Then 

 with a bound he came close to me, and, just as I was 

 drawing my knife, sprung on me, at the same time seizing 



