VIII 
THE LEOPARD 
305 
cheetah ran cunningly, and was aware of the former 
game; it turned as sharp as the buck; gathering 
itself together for a final effort, it shot forward like 
an arrow, picked up the distance that remained 
between them, and in a cloud of dust for one 
moment we could distinguish two forms. The next 
instant the buck was on its back, and the cheetah’s 
fangs were fixed like an iron vice upon its throat. 
The course run was about 600 yards, and it was 
worth a special voyage to India only to see that 
hunt. The cheetah was panting to an extent that 
made it difficult to retain its hold. There were a 
few drops of blood issuing from a prick through the 
skin of the right haunch, where the cheetah’s nails 
had inflicted a trifling wound when it delivered the 
usual telling blow of the fore paw, that felled the 
buck to the ground when going at full speed; be¬ 
yond this there was no blood, until the keeper cut 
the throat in the customary manner, and the 
cheetah, much exhausted, was led to its cage. This 
was a very exceptional hunt, and a friend who was 
present declared he had never seen anything to 
equal it, although he had been all his life in India. 
We had several courses, but nothing equalled 
this exciting hunt. On one occasion the cheetah 
was slipped at too great a distance, the herd being 
at least 350 yards ahead. The animal, after a vain 
effort, was well aware of the impossibility ; it accord¬ 
ingly ran up a solitary tree with the agility of a 
monkey. 
From this height the cheetah surveyed the 
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