WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 



and looking round on all sides, seemingly with a deter- 

 mination not to be caught in that way again, he trotted 

 off at a brisker pace than before. No sooner was an 

 attempt made to follow him than he turned to face his 

 foes, and satisfied most of them that a too close ac- 

 quaintance was dangerous ; at the same time it was clear 

 that he had no particular wish to rush into mischief As 

 the men stood still in a body he merely looked at them, 

 and, after a few seconds' consideration, walked leisurely 

 away. 



It was then arranged to muster in front of him when- 

 ever he attempted to go in any direction leading out of 

 the Gardens, or to any part of the Gardens in which he 

 was likely to do damage. 



If this plan succeeded they could turn him without 

 going near enough to be in any great danger, so after two 

 or three hours' dodging him about they managed to drive 

 him into the passage at the end of the Carnivora dens, on 

 the north side and close to the den he had escaped from. 

 Here he was at once secured. Possibly no one suffered, in 

 comparison, anything equal to the fright of the wife and 

 children of the head-keeper, whom he had carefully locked 

 in, and who were in the dark all this time. They naturally 

 supposed that everybody must have been killed, and that 

 it would be their turn next, because the few hours of this 

 dreadful suspense and uncertainty seemed a much longer 

 time than was really the case. 



156 



