THE CHEETAH, OR HUNTING LEOPAED. 91 



extremely dangerous that I was far from envying those -who were 

 in such close proximity to him. But they knew their trade. 

 "With a long, sharp knife they cut the deer's throat, and caused 

 the warm blood to spout in torrents into the face of the half-wild 

 beast, whose whole frame now seemed to thrill with ecstasy. One 

 of the operators in the meanwhile caught a quantity of the crimson 

 life-stream in a wooden bowl, and forced the streaming fluid under 

 the very nose of the excited leopard, who, quitting his hold, at 

 once began to lap with avidity. Whilst engaged in this process, the 

 leather hood was swiftly clapped over his eyes, and the collar, 

 with two chains attached, was adjusted round his neck. 



" Whilst this was going on, a third man had cut ofE one of the 

 buck's hind-legs, and this, the ' lion's share,' was held close to the 

 bloody chalice, which was no sooner emptied than the brute seized 

 the meat thus provided with a vice-like grip. Each chain was 

 now grasped by a different man, who, by keeping apart so that 

 the tether remained taut, kept the leopard between them in such 

 a way that neither was within reach of his claws or teeth. Then 

 the third individual, who had ever retained his hold of the shank- 

 bone of the leg of venison, gently drew the cheetah to the little 

 cart that had now been brought close up. As soon as the beast 

 felt himself against the edge of his own familiar chariot he sprang 

 lightly upon it, and proceeded to demolish his succulent morceau 



at his ease. 



"I now inspected the carcase of the deer, with a view to 

 ascertaining, if possible, how the cheetah had been able so 

 instantaneously to strike down such a powerful animal immediately 

 on getting up with it . I at once observed a single, long, deep 

 gash in the flank, which was evidently caused by the decisive 

 blow. But I could not imagine with what weapon the leopard 

 had been able to inflict this very strange-looking wound, for the 

 cheetah has a foot like a dog, and its claws are not retractile. 

 Turning then to the beast, as it sat on the cart, I inspected it 

 closely, and saw that the dew-claw, which in the dog appears 

 such a useless appendage, is represented in this brute by a terrible- 

 looking talon exactly suited to the infliction of such a gash." 



Jerdon informs us that the natives assert if the ground is not 



