CHEETAHS 
121 
CH. V] 
wonderfully, rising to the surface or sinking to the 
bottom at will, and they gallop at speed along the 
bottoms of lakes or rivers, with their bodies wholly 
submerged ; but as is natural enough, in view of their 
big bodies and short legs, they are not fast swimmers 
for any length of time. They make curious and un¬ 
mistakable trails along the banks of any stream in which 
they dwell; their short legs are wide apart, and so when 
they tread out a path they leave a ridge of high soil 
down the centre. Where they have lived a long time, 
the rutted paths are worn deep into the soil, but always 
carry this distinguishing middle ridge. 
The full-jacketed Winchester bullet had gone straight 
into the brain ; the jacket had lodged in the cranium, 
but the lead went on, entering the neck and breaking 
the atlas vertebra. 
At Juja Farm many animals were kept in cages. 
They included a fairly friendly leopard, and five lions, 
two of which were anything but friendly. There were 
three cheetahs, nearly full grown; these were con¬ 
tinually taken out on leashes, Mrs. McMillan strolling 
about with them and leading them to the summer¬ 
house. They were good-tempered, but they did not 
lead well. Cheetahs are interesting beasts ; they are 
aberrant cats, standing very high on their legs, and with 
non-retractile claws like a dog. They are nearly the 
size of a leopard, but are not ordinarily anything like as 
ferocious, and prey on the smaller antelope, occasionally 
taking something as big as a half-grown kongoni. For 
a short run, up to say a quarter of a mile or even 
perhaps half a mile, they are the swiftest animals on 
earth, and with a good start easily overtake the fastest 
antelope; but their bolt is soon shot, and on the open 
plain they can readily be galloped down with a horse. 
