2o8 
WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WA YS 
CHAP. 
When the elephants at length approached, I 
begged that half a dozen might just march through 
the patch within a few yards of my position. I was 
riding an elephant called Rosamond, which was 
certainly an improvement upon my former mount. 
Hardly had the line entered the patch of grass 
when, with a short angry roar, a leopard sprang 
forward, and passed me at full speed within 25 
yards; and immediately turned a somersault like a 
rabbit, with a charge of 16 S.S.G. from the No. 12 
fired into its shoulder. 
This was very rapidly accomplished, as our camp 
was within view, certainly not more than a mile 
distant. 
We placed the leopard upon a pad elephant, and 
sent it home; while we once more extended the 
line, and as usual I took up a position some hun¬ 
dred yards in advance, in a spot that was tolerably 
clear from the high grass. 
Almost the same circumstance was repeated. I 
saw another leopard advancing before the line, and 
pushing my elephant forward to a point that I 
considered would intercept it, I distinctly saw it 
enter a tangled mass of herbage, hardly large 
enough to shelter a calf; there it disappeared from 
view. 
The line of elephants arrived, and no one was 
aware that another leopard had been moved. I 
pointed out the small clump of grass, and ordered 
an elephant to walk through it. In an instant a 
leopard bolted, and immediately rolled over like its 
