A CAMP-FIEE STOEY. 347 



very spot where the weary explorers are sleeping to introduce 

 him to the leopard in the full indulgence of his most belligerent 

 ferocity. The narrators of the story were making painful progress 

 along what they facetiously tried to call a road, in the midst of 

 the most luxurious vegetation, when they were startled by a 

 most extraordinary noise proceeding from a little glade on their 

 right. The singular sound resembled the confused grunting of 

 a pig, and the suppressed growling of a tiger, and the worrying 

 noise of a dog, interrupted with loud squeakings, snarlings and 

 sudden roars; besides which they could hear a tearing and 

 struggling, a rustling of the grass and a crackling of the twigs, 

 as though some large animals were rolling and tumbling about 

 in a violent manner. Guns in hand, the excited party crept 

 stealthily along the little glade, until at its termination, amidst 

 an almost impenetrable walling in and arching over of umbrag- 

 eous vegetation, they saw two large animals struggling and 

 plunging, and tearing each other, and rolling over and over, 

 locked together in deadly combat. The approach of the strangers 

 was unnoticed by the enraged combatants, which seemed obliv- 

 ious of all else in their fierce conflict. One of these furious 

 animals was soon discovered to be a large leopard ; all that they 

 could fix distinctly of the other was a long horn-shaped head, 

 tremendous claws, a huge bushy tail and a coat of shaggy fur. 

 The fury of the contest was dreadful, and they stood riveted 

 in wonder ; before long, however, it was apparent that whatever 

 his antagonist was the leopard must prove victorious ; and as 

 his huge fangs presently became firmly fixed in the other's throat 

 he succeeded in pinioning him fast to the ground. They saw 

 that this strange combat had been between a leopard and a 

 powerful ant-bear ; and even while the witnesses levelled their 

 rifles in cautious consideration of themselves, they were con- 

 strained to admire the splendid dignity with which the brute 

 arose above his vanquished foe and looked about him, and they 

 almost grieved to mingle with the triumphant roar which re- 

 sounded through the forests the harsher and deadlier voices of 

 their trusty rifles. 



But not only were stories of ferocious beasts incorporated with 

 star-gazing, geographical discussions, and geological examina- 

 tions into the camp-fire life of the party in which such varied 



