572. Great and Small Game of Africa 



at once retire. They take to water readily, and are expert swimmers. 

 They never carry a carcase, but seize it by the neck and drag it exactly as a 

 lion does. Leopard cubs are born between October and December, usually 

 two or three in a litter. I have, however, seen four on several occasions. 

 It is quite possible, I think, that some leopardesses will produce two litters 

 in three years, so they are fairly prolific animals. 



I have always maintained that scant justice has been done to the leopard 

 as an object of sport. He is certainly of retiring habits, but the sportsman's 

 perseverance and skill in forest-craft should overcome this obstacle, and 

 then, when it comes to fighting, there is no more savage, fearless, deter- 

 mined animal in Africa. The exercise of prompt judgment and cool, 

 steady nerve alone will enable the sportsman to avoid an ugly mauling, or 

 worse. I nearly lost my life in a night encounter with a wounded one, 

 so have reason to respect them ; but, apart from that, on account of their 

 unequalled cunning, and indomitable pluck when brought to bay, they 

 deserve a foremost place amongst the most coveted objects of a sportsman's 

 desires. There are several ways in which leopards may be hunted with 

 more or less success, one of these being to attack them at a carcase at early 

 dawn, as described in my lion article. Usually, however, it will be found 

 that they leave their kill at an earlier hour than lions would do, though 

 this depends upon whether the country is much or little hunted over. 

 Watching from a scherm by moonlight is another plan, but in this case I 

 cannot too strenuously urge the greatest caution, and absolute silence, for 

 their advance is so stealthy that the slightest indiscreet movement will be 

 seen by them. If a leopard gets near to the sportsman, and suddenly sees 

 him, believing itself unseen, it instantly retires as stealthily as it came, but, 

 if startled by a sudden movement, bounds away with quick, hoarse grunts. 

 If the bait can be placed on the sand of a river-bed, and the scherm built 

 between it and the water, there is no risk of the leopard circling round it 

 as they so often do, and its advances over the white sand are clearly seen. 



