CHAPTER VII

THE TIGER (CONTINUED)

The day after the accident described, we were sitting beneath the shade

of a mango grove at about 4 P.M. when a native arrived at the camp with

news that a tiger had just killed a valuable cow which gave him a large

supply of milk, and the body was lying about 2 miles distant. The tragic

incident of the previous day had established a panic in the village, and

the natives were not in the humour to turn out as beaters. I quite

shared their feeling, as I did not wish to expose the poor people after

the loss they had sustained; it was too late for a beat, therefore I

determined to take the two elephants and make a simple reconnaissance,

that might be of use upon the following day.

It was 4.30 P.M. by the time we started, as the two elephants had taken

some time to prepare. The native was tolerably correct in his estimate

of distance, and after passing through a long succession of glades and

wooded hills, broken by deep nullahs, we arrived at the place, where

soaring vultures marked the spot, and the remains of a fine white cow

were discovered, that had been killed upon the open ground and dragged

into the dense jungle. Leaving Demoiselle in the open, and taking Berry

into my howdah upon Moolah Bux, we carefully searched the jungle until

sunset, but finding nothing, we were obliged to return to camp, having

made ourselves thoroughly acquainted with the conditions of the

locality. On the following morning at daylight I took only twenty men,

who had recovered from their panic, and with the two elephants and a

very plucky policeman we made our way to the place where the body of the

cow was lying on the previous evening. It was gone. Leaving all the men

outside the jungle, we followed on Moolah Bux, tracking along the course

where the tiger had dragged the carcase, and keeping a sharp look-out in

all directions. After a course of about 150 yards we arrived at a spot

where the tiger had evidently rested: here it had devoured the larger

portion, and nothing but the head remained. It was impossible to decide

whether jackals or hyenas had made away with the remnants, or whether

the tiger had carried them off to some secure hiding-place, but it was

highly probable that the animal was not far distant.

The jungle was not more than 5 or 6 acres, and it was surrounded by

grass; we therefore determined to arrange scouts around, while we should

thoroughly but slowly examine the covert upon the two elephants.

There was nothing in the drive.

The slope upon which the jungle was situated drained towards an

exceedingly deep and broad nullah; this formed the main channel, into

which numerous smaller nullahs converged from the surrounding

inclination. The general character of the country was withered grass

upon numerous slopes, the tops of which were covered with low jungle. At

the lower portion of the deep nullah there was a small but important

pool of water, as it was the only drinking-place within a distance of 2

miles. As usual, there was a sandbank around this deep pool, which,

being in the bend of the nullah, had been swept out of the opposing bank

and deposited near, the drinking-hole. Upon this sandy surface we found

several tracks of tigers, and we arrived at the conclusion that a tiger

and tigress had been together, and that I had killed the male on the

occasion of the accident; the female would therefore be the animal of

which we were in search.

The nullah was about 20 yards across and 30 feet in depth; the banks

were in most places perpendicular, and the bottom was rough with stones,

intermingled with bushes, most of which had lost their foliage. It was

quite possible that, after drinking the tigress might have lain down to

sleep among the bushes, where the hollowed bank afforded a cool shade;

but I did not like to send men into the dangerous bottom, and the banks

were so steep that the elephants could not possibly descend.

About 400 paces distant, a large tree grew from the right bank, and the

branches overhung the nullah; I therefore suggested to Berry that he

should take up a position in the boughs, and that we would beat towards

him by pelting the bottom of the ravine with stones; should the tigress

break back, I could stop her from the howdah, and should she move

forward, she must pass directly beneath the tree upon which Berry would

be seated. This plan was carried out, but the plucky policeman insisted

upon descending into the nullah and walking up the bottom, while the

natives upon either side bombarded the banks with stones.

There was absolutely nothing alive in that inviting nullah. I had walked

Moolah Bux slowly along, looking down from the margin of the ravine, and

upon arrival at Berry's perch I took him up behind me in the rear

compartment of the howdah. I felt almost sure that, although we had

drawn a blank up to the present time, the tigress would be lying

somewhere among the numerous deep but narrow nullahs which drained into

the main channel that we had just examined. We therefore determined to

leave all the men seated upon a knoll on the highest ground, while we

should try the various nullahs upon Moolah Bux; as he could walk slowly

along the margin so close to the edge that we should be able to look

down into the bottom of each ravine, and in the parched state of

vegetation nothing could escape our view.

The natives were well satisfied with this arrangement, and they took

their seats upon a grassy hill, which afforded a position from which

they could watch our movements.

Moolah Bux commenced his stately march, walking so close to the hard

edge of the deep nullahs that I was rather anxious lest the bank should

suddenly give way. The instinct of an elephant is extraordinary in the

selection of firm ground. Although it appeared dangerous to me, Moolah

Bux was perfectly satisfied that the ground would bear his weight, and

he continued his risky march, both up and down a number of those

monotonous ravines which scored the slopes in all directions, but

without success.

The sun was like fire, and it was difficult to grasp the barrel of the

rifle. It was past noon, and we had been working unceasingly since 6

a.m. The bottoms of the ravines were filled some feet in depth with dry

leaves, which had fallen from the trees (now naked) which fringed the

banks, therefore we could have seen a cat had she been lying either in

the nullah or upon the barren sides. "There is no tigress here," said

Berry; "this is one of those sly brutes, that kills and eats, but does

not remain near her kill; she is probably a couple of miles away while

we are looking for her in these coverless nullahs."

These words were hardly uttered, when we suddenly heard a rushing sound

like a strong wind, which seemed to disturb the dried leaves in the deep

bottom somewhere in our front. At first I could hardly understand the

cause, but in a few seconds a large tigress sprang up the bank, and

appeared about 20 paces in our front. Without a moment's hesitation she

uttered several short roars, and upon the beautifully clean ground she

bounded forward in full charge straight for Moolah Bux. I never saw a

more grand but unprovoked attack.

The elephant was startled by the unexpected apparition, and I could not

fire, as he swung his mighty head upon one side, but almost immediately

he received the tigress upon his long tusks, and with a swing to the

right he sent her flying into the deep nullah from which she had just

emerged.

Although the trees and shrubs were utterly devoid of leaves, there was

unfortunately a large and dense evergreen bush exactly opposite, called

karoonda; the tigress sprang up the bank, and disappeared behind this

opaque screen before we had time to fire.

The mahout, who was a splendid fellow, perceived this in an instant, and

driving his elephant a few paces forward, he turned his head to the

right, giving me a beautiful clear sight of the tigress, bounding at

full speed about 80 paces distant along the clean surface of parched

herbage, up a slight incline.

I heard the crack of Berry's rifle close to my ear, but no effect was

produced. The tigress was going directly away from us, and Moolah Bux

stood as firm as a rock, without the least vibration. As I touched the

trigger, the tigress performed a most perfect somersault, and lay

extended on the bare soil with her head turned towards us, and her tail

stretched in a straight line exactly in the opposite direction. A great

cheer from our men, who had witnessed the flying shot from their

position on the knoll, was highly satisfactory.

We now turned back, and at length discovered a spot where the elephant

could descend and cross the deep nullah. We then measured the

distance--82 yards, as nearly as we could step it. My .577 solid bullet

of pure lead had struck the tigress in the back of the neck; it had

reduced to pulp several of the vertebrae, and entering the brain, it had

divided itself into two portions by cutting its substance upon the hard

bones of the broken skull, which was literally smashed to pieces.

I found a sharp-pointed jagged piece of lead, representing about

one-third of the bullet, protruding through the right eye-ball; the

remaining two-thirds I discovered in the bones of the face by the back

teeth, where it was fixed in a misshapen but compact mass among

splinters of broken jaw.

Berry's bullet had also struck the tigress, but precisely in the same

place, close to the root of the tail, where he had wounded the tiger a

short time before. Upon arrival at the camp we skinned the animal, and

took special pains to prove the effect of the unfortunate hollow bullet.

This was conclusive, and a serious warning.

The penetration was only an inch in depth. We washed the flesh in cold

water, and searched most carefully throughout the lacerated wound, which

occupied a very small area of about 1 inch. In this we found two pieces

of the copper plug which stopped the hole in front of the bullet,

together with a number of very minute fragments or flakes of lead; these

proved that the extremely hollow projectile had broken up, and was

rendered abortive almost immediately upon impact.

The danger of such a bullet was manifest; it was almost as hollow as a

hat, and almost as harmless as a hat would be, if thrown at a charging

tiger.

This was an interesting exception to the rule that is generally

accepted, that a tiger will not attack if left undisturbed. If any

person had been walking along the margin of that nullah, he would have

been seized and destroyed without doubt by that ferocious beast. There

was a case in point last year (1888) in the Reipore district, when Mr.

Lawes, the son of the missionary of that name, was killed by a tigress,

which was the first to attack. This animal was reported by the natives

to be in a certain nullah within a short distance of the camp. The young

man, who was quite inexperienced, took a gun, and with a few natives

proceeded to the spot on foot. Looking over the edge of the nullah in

the hope of finding the tiger lying down, he was suddenly startled by an

unexpected attack; a tigress bounded up the steep bank and seized Mr.

Lawes before he had time to fire. The animal did not continue the

attack, but merely shook him for a few moments, and then retreated to

her lair; he was so grievously wounded that he died on the following

day, after his arrival in a litter at Reipore.

Many people imagine that a tiger attacks man with the intention of

eating him, as a natural prey; this is a great mistake. The greater

number of accidents are occasioned by tigers which have no idea of

making a meal of their victims; they may attack from various reasons.

Self-defence is probably their natural instinct; the tiger may imagine

that the person intends some injury, and it springs to the attack; or it

may be lying half asleep, and when suddenly disturbed it flies at the

intruder without any particular intention of destroying him, but merely

as a natural result of being startled from its rest. When, driven by a

line of beaters, the tiger breaks back, it may be readily understood

that it will attack the first individual that obstructs its retreat, but

in no case will the tiger eat the man, unless it is a professional

man-eater.

The cunning combined with audacity of some man-eaters is extraordinary.

A few years ago there was a well-known tiger in the Mandla district

which took possession of the road, and actually stopped the traffic.

This was not the generally accepted specimen of a man-eater, old and

mangy, but an exceedingly powerful beast of unexampled ferocity and

audacity. It was a merciless highwayman, which infested a well-known

portion of the road, and levied toll upon the drivers of the native

carts, not by an attack upon their bullocks, but by seizing the driver

himself, and carrying him off to be devoured in the neighbouring jungle.

It had killed a number of people, and nothing would induce a native to

venture upon that fatal road with a single cart; it had therefore become

the custom to travel in company with several carts together, as numbers

were supposed to afford additional security. This proved to be a vain

expectation, as the tiger was in no way perplexed by the arrangement; it

bounded from the jungle where it had lain in waiting, and having allowed

the train of carts to pass in single file, it seized the driver of the

hindmost, and as usual carried the man away, in spite of the cries of

the affrighted companions.

Upon several occasions this terrible attack had been enacted, and the

traffic was entirely stopped. A large reward was offered by the

Government, but without effect; the man-eater never could be found by

any of the shikaris.

At length the Superintendent of Police, Mr. Duff, who unfortunately had

lost one arm by a gun accident, determined to make an effort at its

destruction, and he adroitly arranged a plan that would be a fatal trap,

and catch the tiger in its own snare. He obtained two covered carts,

each drawn as usual by two bullocks. The leading cart was fitted in

front and behind with strong bars of lashed bamboo, which formed an

impervious cage; in this the driver was seated, while Mr. Duff himself

sat with his face towards the rear, prepared to fire through the bars

should the tiger, according to its custom, attack the driver of the

rearmost cart. This would have been an exciting moment for the driver,

but Mr. Duff had carefully prepared a dummy, dressed exactly to

personate the usual native carter; the bullocks, being well trained,

would follow closely in the rear of the leading cart, from which a

splendid shot would be obtained should the tiger venture upon an attack.

All went well; the road was desolate, bordered by jungle upon one side,

and wild grass-land upon the other. They had now reached the locality

where the dreaded danger lay, and slowly the carts moved along the road

in their usual apathetic manner. This must have been an exciting moment,

and Mr. Duff was no doubt thoroughly on the lookout. Suddenly there was

a roar; a large tiger bounded from the jungle, and with extraordinary

quickness seized the dummy driver from his seat upon the rearmost cart,

and dragged the unresisting victim towards the jungle!

Nothing could have been better planned, but one chance had been

forgotten, which was necessary to success. No sooner had the tiger

roared, and bounded upon the cart, than the affrighted bullocks,

terrified by the dreadful sound, at once stampeded off the road, and

went full gallop across country, followed by Mr. Duff's bullocks in the

wildest panic. It was impossible to fire, and after a few seconds of

desperate chariot race, both carts capsized among the numerous small

nullahs of the broken ground, where bullocks and vehicles lay in

superlative confusion; the victorious man-eater was left to enjoy rather

a dry meal of a straw-stuffed carter, instead of a juicy native which he

had expected.

This was a disappointment to all parties concerned, except the dummy

driver, who was of course unmoved by the failure of the arrangement.

The story is thoroughly authenticated, and has been told to me by the

Commissioner of the district exactly as I have described it. The tiger

was subsequently killed by a native shikari, when watching from a tree

over a tied buffalo.

Although the tiger as a "man-eater" is a terrible scourge, and

frequently inflicts incredible loss upon the population of a district,

there are tigers in existence which would never attack a human being,

although they exist upon the cattle of the villages, and have every

opportunity of seizing women and children in their immediate

neighbourhood. About nine years ago there was a well-known animal of

this character at a place called Bhundra in the Jubbulpur district,

which was supposed to have killed upwards of 500 of the natives' cattle.

This was a peculiarly large tiger, but so harmless to man that he was

regarded merely in the light of a cattle-lifter, and neither woman nor

child dreaded its appearance. The natives assured me that during

fourteen years it had been the common object of pursuit, both by

officers, civilians, and by their own shikaris, but as the tiger was

possessed by the devil it was quite impossible to destroy it. This

possession by an evil spirit is a common belief, and in this instance

the people spoke of it as a matter of course that admitted of no

argument; they assured me that the tiger was frequently met by the

natives, and that it invariably passed them in a friendly manner without

the slightest demonstration of hostility, but that it took away a cow or

bullock in the most regular manner every fourth day. It varied its

attentions, and having killed a few head of cattle belonging to one

village, it would change the locality for a week or two, and, take toll

from those within a radius of four or five miles, always returning to

the same haunts, and occupying or laying up in the same jungle. The

great peculiarity of this particular tiger consisted in the extreme

contempt for fire-arms: it exposed itself almost without exception when

driven by a line of beaters, and when shot at it simply escaped, only to

reappear upon the following day. I was informed that everybody that had

gone after it had obtained a shot, but bullets were of no use against a

devil, therefore it was always missed.

I was 30 miles distant when I heard of this tiger, and I immediately

directed our course towards Bhundra. It was a pretty and interesting

place, where the presence of rich hematite iron ore has from time

immemorial induced a settlement of smelters. There are jungle-covered

low hills upon which large trees are growing, yet all such important

mounds are composed of refuse from furnaces, which were worked some

hundred years ago.

We arrived there early in May during the hottest season, and the clear

stream below the village, rushing over a rocky bed, was a sufficient

attraction to entice the animals from a great distance. This would

account for the permanent residence of tigers.

The headman was a Thakur, a person of importance, and, as our camp had

been sent forward on the previous day, we found everything in readiness

upon our arrival; the Thakur and his people were in attendance.

After the usual salutations, I inquired concerning the celebrated tiger:

" How long was it since it had been heard of?"

The Thakur placidly inquired of our attendant, and I was informed that

three days had elapsed since it killed the last cow; it would therefore

in all probability kill another animal to-morrow. There was no

excitement visible, but the natives spoke of the tiger as coolly and as

unconcernedly as though it had been the postman.

My shikari was present, and I ordered him to tie up a good large

buffalo, in prime condition, as the tiger was in the habit of selecting

the best cattle for attack. After some delay, an excellent buffalo was

brought for inspection, about sixteen months old, in fine condition, and

there was little doubt that the tiger would attack, as the period had

arrived when they might expect a kill.

The Thakur knew the exact position for the buffalo as bait, and he

coolly assured me that the tiger would certainly kill, and that on the

following day I should as certainly get a shot, but that the bullet

would either fall from the hide, or in some way miss the object. He

declared that upon several occasions he had himself obtained a shot,

like everybody else, but it was useless, therefore he had long since

ceased to take the trouble. This was rather interesting, and added to

the excitement.

At daybreak on the following morning my eager shikari with several

natives arrived, with news that the buffalo was killed and dragged into

a dry bed of a rocky nullah within the jungle; and from the high bank

they had seen the tiger devouring the hind-quarters. This was

satisfactory, although I was afraid that the tiger might have been

disturbed by the inquisitiveness of the people; however, they laughed at

the suggestion, and the beaters being ready, we sallied out to make a

drive for a hopeless beast that was possessed by the devil.

The natives had been accustomed for so many years to act as beaters for

this well-known animal that they had not the slightest nervousness; they

knew the ground thoroughly, and the old mucharns, which had been vainly

occupied so often, had simply been strengthened, but were ready in their

original positions.

We had a large force of men, and several shikaris of long experience in

the locality; it was accordingly a wise course to remain silent, as the

people would have been confused by unnecessary orders.

Having left the line of men in position, we were taken about a mile in

advance. I had given my shikari a double-barrelled gun, and I ordered

him to take his stand as instructed by the natives; he accordingly

disappeared, I knew not where. We entered the jungle, and presently

descended the face of a small hill; then crossing a nullah, I was

introduced to my mucharn; this was arranged upon a large tree which grew

exactly upon the margin, and commanded not only the deep nullah beneath,

but two other smaller nullahs which it met at right angles only a few

paces distant. This looked well, as the tiger would probably slink along

these secluded watercourses, in which case I should obtain a splendid

shot. I climbed from the back of my steady elephant into the lofty

perch; the people and animals left me to watch, squatted in a most

uncomfortable position, as at that time I had not invented my charming

turnstool.

At least an hour passed before I even heard the beaters. At length,

amidst the cooing of countless doves, I detected the distant thud, thud

of a tom-tom, and then the confused sound of many excited voices.

A few peacocks ran across the nullah; then a small jungle-sheep made the

dead leaves rattle as it dashed wildly past; and almost immediately I

heard a quick double shot about 200 yards upon my left.

I knew this must be my shikari, Sheik Jhan, and I felt sure that he had

missed, as the two shots were in such rapid succession. If the first had

struck the object, the second would not have been fired so quickly; if

the first had missed, the exceeding quickness of the second shot would

suggest confusion.

After waiting at least ten minutes without a sound of any animal, I

whistled for the elephant, and descending from my post, I rode towards

the position of Sheik Jhan.

A crowd of beaters were assembled, some of whom were engaged in

searching for the bullets which he had fired, both of which had missed

the tiger when within 12 yards' distance, although marching slowly over

the sands and rocks in the bed of a large river; the natives were

digging with pointed sticks into a grassy mound of sand.

Sheik Jhan described that an immense tiger had quietly passed close to

him, but that no doubt it had a devil, as neither bullet had taken the

least effect.

This was the customary termination; therefore no other course was left

than to return to camp, the result having verified the prediction of the

natives.

We now steered direct for the carcase of the buffalo, about 1 1/4 mile

distant. Upon our arrival in the rocky bed of a dry river, where the

smell of the tiger was extremely strong, we found the remains of the

buffalo, a small portion of which had been eaten; I was assured by those

who knew the habits of this tiger that it would return during the night,

and that upon the following morning we should certainly obtain another

shot.

I amused myself during the day by visiting the various smelting

furnaces, all of which were upon a small scale, although numerous, and

the method pursued was the same which I have found invariable among

savage people. This consists in strong bellows worked by hand, the

draught being sustained by continual relief of blowers, while the

furnaces are constructed of clay, in the centre of which a small hole

contains about a bushel of finely broken ore. Some powdered limestone

was used as a flux, and the produce of a hard day's work, with five or

six men employed, was about 15 lbs. of iron of the finest quality. This

was never actually in a fluid molten state, but it was reduced when at

white heat to a soft spongy mass resembling half-melted wax; it was then

alternately hammered and again subjected to a white heat, until it

arrived at the required degree of purity. The fuel was charcoal prepared

from some special wood.

In the evening I pondered over the failure of Sheik Jhan, who declared

that the tiger had taken him by surprise, as it had appeared while the

beaters were so far distant that he could only just distinguish their

voices. I came to the conclusion that this was the reason which

explained the general escape of this wary animal, as it moved forward

directly that the line of beaters entered the jungle, instead of

advancing in the usual manner almost at the end of the beat. The sudden

apparition of the tiger before it was expected would probably startle

the gunner, who by firing in a hurry would in many instances entail a

miss. Having well considered the matter, I determined to make myself

more comfortable on the morrow, by padding the mucharn with the quilted

pad of the riding elephant, and by sitting astride a tightly bound

bundle of mats.

I would not allow any person to visit the carcase on the following

morning, as I accepted the natives' assurance that the tiger would

return to its kill; I gave orders that all beaters were to be in

readiness, and we were to start together.

The morning arrived, and we started with a large force of nearly 200

men.

Upon approaching the spot where the carcase of the buffalo was left, I

dismounted, and with only one man, I carefully inspected the position.

The body had been dragged away. That was sufficient evidence, and I

would not risk a disturbance of the jungle by advancing farther upon the

tracks.

In order to maintain the most perfect silence, the beaters were kept at

a considerable distance, and the line was to be formed only when a

messenger should be sent back to say that the guns were already in

position.

The native shikaris now assured me in the most positive manner that the

tiger would certainly advance along the nullah, and would pass

immediately beneath the tree upon which my mucharn of yesterday was

placed.

Upon arrival at the tree I arranged the quilted pad and bundle of rugs

in the mucharn, and having instructed my men to clear away a few

overhanging creepers that in some places intercepted the line of sight

along the nullah, I took my place, having carefully screened myself by

intertwining a few green boughs to the height of 2 feet around my

hiding-place.

I was comparatively in luxury upon the quilted mattress, and I waited

with exemplary patience for the commencement of the beat in solitary

quiet. A long time elapsed, as our messenger had to return about a mile

before the line should receive orders to advance.

In the meanwhile I studied the ground minutely. I could see for 50 yards

along the nullah, also there was a clear view where it joined the other

approaches by which the tiger was expected. Exactly in front, on the

other side the nullah beneath me, the jungle rose in a tolerably steep

inclination upon a slope which continued for several hundred yards. If

the tiger were to quit the nullah by which it would approach upon my

left, it would probably cross over this hill to ensure a short cut,

instead of continuing along the bottom of the nullah; this is frequently

the habit of a tiger.

It was difficult to decide whether the beat had commenced, owing to the

ceaseless cooing of the numerous doves, but presently a peacock flew

into the tree upon my right, and almost immediately two peahens ran over

the dead leaves, which made an exciting rustle in the quiet nullah. I

felt sure that the beaters were advancing, as the peafowl were

disturbed; I therefore kept in readiness, with rifle at full cock, as I

felt sure that should the tiger exhibit himself, he would be far in

advance of the approaching drive.

My ears were almost pricked with the strain of expectation, and I

shortly heard the unmistakable beat of the native tom-tom.

Hardly had the sound impressed itself upon the ear, when a dull but

heavy tread upon the brittle leaves which strewed the surface arrested

my attention. This was repeated in so slow but regular a manner, that I

felt sure it denoted the stealthy step of a tiger. I looked along the

different nullahs, but could see nothing. The sound ceased for at least

a minute, when once more the tread upon dead leaves decided me that the

animal was somewhere not far distant. At this moment I raised my eyes

from the nullahs in which he was expected, and I saw, through the

intervening leafless mass of bushes upon the opposing slope, a dim

outline of an enormous tiger, so indistinct that the figure resembled

the fading appearance of a dissolving view. Slowly and stealthily the

shadowy form advanced along the face of the slope, exactly crossing my

line of sight. This was the "possessed of the devil" that had escaped

during so many years, and I could not help thinking that, many persons

would risk the shot in its present position, when the bullet must cut

through a hundred twigs before it could reach the mark, and thus would

probably be deflected. The tiger was now about 40 yards distant, and

although the bushes were all leafless, there was one exception, which

lay in the direct path the tiger was taking, a little upon my right;

this was a very dense and large green bush called karoonda. Exactly to

the right, upon the edge of this opaque screen, there was an open space

about 9 or 10 feet wide, where a large rotten tree had been blown down;

and should the tiger continue its present course it would pass the

karoonda bush and cross over the clear opening. I resolved to wait;

therefore, resting my left elbow upon my knee, I covered the shoulder of

the unconscious tiger, and followed it with the .577 rifle carefully,

resolved to exorcise the devil that had for so long protected it.

The shouts of the beaters were now heard distinctly, and the loud

tom-tom sounded cheerfully as the line approached. Several times the

tiger stopped, and turned its head to listen; then it disappeared from

view behind the dense screen of the karoonda bush.

I lowered the rifle, to rest my arm for a moment. So long a time

elapsed, that I was afraid the tiger had turned straight up the hill in

a direct line with the bush, and thus lost to sight; I had almost come

to this sad conclusion, when a magnificent head projected from the dark

green bush into the bright light of the open space. For quite 15 seconds

the animal thus stood with only the head exposed to view, turned

half-way round to listen. I felt quite sure that I could have put a

bullet through its brain; but I waited. Presently it emerged, a splendid

form, and walked slowly across the open space. At the same moment as I

touched the trigger, the tiger reared to its full height upon its hind

legs, and with a roar that could have been heard at a couple of miles'

distance it seized a small tree within its jaws, and then fell

backwards; it gave one roll down the slope, and lay motionless. The

devil was cast out.

I never saw such enthusiastic rejoicing as was occasioned by the death

of this notorious tiger. The news ran like fire through the neighbouring

villages before we had completed the packing of the animal upon

Demoiselle. I had no means of weighing this tiger, but it was the

heaviest I have ever seen, and although we had four poles beneath its

body and a great number of willing men at the extremities, we had great

difficulty in loading Demoiselle. By the time we had completed the

operation we had a large crowd in attendance, all of whom followed the

elephant upon the march towards our camp bearing the body of the tiger,

which had been the scourge of their herds during so many years.

At least 300 women and children assembled to satisfy themselves that

their enemy was really dead. The women kissed his feet and wiped their

eyes with the tip of his tail; for what purpose could not be explained.

As this animal had lived in luxury, it was immensely fat, and we filled

numerous chatties with this much-loved grease, to be used as ointment

for rheumatic complaints. Unfortunately at that time I had no weighing

machine, therefore it was impossible to judge the weight with accuracy,

but we computed that the fat alone amounted to 70 lbs. avoirdupois. The

tiger was certainly upwards of 500 lbs.

I found the '577 bullet of pure lead had entered exactly at the shoulder

joint, which it had smashed to atoms, carrying splinters of bone through

the lungs; passing through the ribs upon the opposite side, it had

smashed the left shoulder, and was fixed beneath the skin, expanded like

a mushroom.

There was no danger to any person employed in this hunt, but I have

described it as an apt example of a cunning tiger, which escaped so many

attempts upon its life that it was regarded as "uncanny."

My servant Thomas was quite delighted, as he had offered to bet that,

"devil or no devil, his master's rifle would kill him, if he got a

shot."

It has been generally admitted that the great variety of this species

renders a classification almost impossible. Different countries adopt

special names for the varieties which inhabit the localities; the

leopard may be termed a panther, or cheetah, or wild cat, or even a

jaguar, but it remains a leopard, differing in size, colour, and form of

spots, but nevertheless a leopard. I shall therefore accept that name as

including every variety. Although the genus Felis embraces in its

nomenclature all the various representatives, from the lion (_Felis

Leo_) to the ordinary domestic cat, the two principal examples of the

race, the lion and tiger, are totally distinct from all others in their

natural characters. The leopard is far more daring; at the same time it

is infinitely more cautious, and difficult to discover.

No lion or tiger can ascend a tree unless the branches spring from

within 4 or 5 feet of the ground; even then it would be contrary to the

habits of the animal to attempt an ascent, although it might be possible

under such favourable circumstances. A leopard will spring up a

smooth-barked tree with the agility of a monkey; and there is a small

species which almost lives among the branches (F. Macroscelis), from

which it leaps upon its prey when passing unconsciously beneath.

An examination of the skins of leopards from various portions of the

globe exhibits a striking difference in colouring and quality of fur. We

find the snow leopard, which inhabits the Himalayahs and other lofty

mountain ranges, with a fur of great value, deep and exceedingly close,

while the spots are not determined as distinct black, but are shaded off

by gray. This species is generally found at altitudes of from 8000 to

10,000 feet, or even higher. In Manchuria and the Corea there is a

species which is unknown in India; this is a large animal, with a

peculiarly rich and deep fur when killed during winter; the black spots

are exceedingly large, and are formed in rings. A skin in my possession

measures 7 ft. 9 in. in length; the tail is full, and the fur long; this

is unusually beautiful, and it must have inhabited some lofty altitude

where the temperature was generally moderate.

In Africa the leopards have almost invariably solid black spots, very

close together upon the back, and becoming less crowded towards the

belly and flanks. In Ceylon there are two distinct varieties-the large

panther, generally about 7 ft. 6 in. in length, and a smaller leopard,

which inhabits the mountains; in that island of misnomers they are both

included in the name cheetah.

In India there are several varieties, and the largest is generally

distinguished as a panther. There is no animal more commonly distributed

in the world than the leopard, and no tropical country is free from this

universal pest, unless an island formation has excluded its unwelcome

presence.

It is difficult to determine the limit in the gradation of size at which

this animal merges from the leopard into the wild cat. The varieties of

cats are so numerous that I do not pretend to describe them; some are of

sufficient importance to be classed among the smaller leopards, while

others are no larger than the ordinary domestic cat. These vary through

every shade of feline colouring, from spots to stripes, or to a fulvous

brown similar to the tawny coat of a lioness; but, notwithstanding the

difference in shades and spots, in cats and in the true leopard or

panther the character is the same. They are all cunning, ferocious, and

destructive, and I believe that far more cattle and goats are killed by

leopards throughout the Indian Empire than by the usually accredited

malefactor, the tiger.

The largest and most beautifully marked of the leopards is the jaguar of

South America. This is the size of a small tigress, and is more heavily

framed than any of the leopards; the head is especially large, and the

animal might almost be termed a spotted tiger. The rings are peculiarly

marked, and waved instead of being circular.

The cheetah or hunting leopard is a distinct species, and although

classed among the leopards, it is altogether different, both in habits

and appearance; the claws, although rather long, are not retractile,

neither are they curved to the same extent as all others of the genus

Felis, but they resemble somewhat the toe-nails of the dog. I shall

accordingly separate this animal from the ordinary class of leopards,

and give it a separate existence as an object of natural history.

The panther or larger variety of leopard is about 7 ft. 6 in. in length,

and has been known to approach closely upon 8 feet, but this would be an

unusual size. This animal is exceedingly powerful, with massive neck and

strongly developed legs. The weight of a fine specimen would be from

about 160 lbs. to 170 lbs. Although heavy, there is no animal more

active, except the monkey, and even those wide-awake creatures are

sometimes caught, by the ever-watchful panther. Stories are told of

accidents that have occurred when the hunter has been pulled out of his

tree, from which imaginary security he was watching for his expected

game. It is impossible to deny such facts, although they are fortunately

rare exceptions to the general rule; but there can be no doubt that a

panther or leopard would attack upon many occasions when a tiger would

prefer to slink away.

The habits of the leopard are invariably the same, it prowls stealthily

about sunset and throughout the night in search of prey. It seizes by

the throat and clings with tenacious claws to the animal's neck, until

it succeeds either in breaking the spine, or in strangling its victim,

should the bone resist its strength. When the animal is dead, the

leopard never attacks the hind-quarters first, according to the custom

of the tiger, but it tears the belly open, and drags out all the

viscera, making its first meal upon the heart, lungs, liver, and the

inside generally. It then retreats to some neighbouring hiding-place,

and, if undisturbed, it will return to its prey a little after sundown

on the following day.

It is far more difficult to circumvent a leopard than a tiger; the

latter seldom or never looks upwards to the trees, therefore it does not

perceive the hidden danger when the hunter is watching from his elevated

post; but the leopard approaches its kill in the most wary and cautious

manner, crouching occasionally, and examining every yard of the ground

before it, at the same time scanning the overhanging boughs, which it so

frequently seeks as a place of refuge. Upon many occasions, when the

disappointed watcher imagines that the leopard has forsaken its kill,

and that his patience will be unrewarded, the animal may be closely

scanning him from the dense bush, under cover of which it was

noiselessly approaching. In such a case the leopard would retreat as

silently as it had advanced, and the watcher would return home from a

fruitless vigil, under the impression that the leopard had never been

within a mile of his position. One of the cleverest birds in creation is

the ordinary crow of all tropical countries, which lives well by the

exercise of its wits; nothing escapes the observation of this bird, and

it is the first to discover the body of any animal that may have been

killed. Should one or more of these birds be perched in the trees after

sunset, near the carcase of an animal, and should it utter a "caw," when

at that late hour it should have gone to roost, you may be assured that

it has espied an approaching leopard, although it may be invisible to

your own sight. The watcher should be careful not to move, but to

redouble his vigilance in keeping a bright look-out, as the leopard will

be equally upon its guard should it hear the cry of the warning crow.

There is very little sport afforded by this stealthy animal, and it is

almost useless to organize a special hunt, as it is impossible to form

any correct opinion respecting its locality after it has killed an

animal. It may either be asleep in some distant ravine, or among the

giant branches of some old tree, or beneath the rocks in some adjacent

hill, or retired within a cave, but it has no special character or

custom that would guide the hunter in arranging a beat according to the

usual rules in the case of tigers. The leopard is merely a nuisance, and

as such it should be treated as vermin, and exterminated if possible.

There are various forms of traps adopted by the natives in different

countries; the most certain is the old-fashioned fall, similar upon a

large scale to the common fall mouse-traps. These should be permanent

fixtures in various portions of the jungles, and they should be baited

whenever the tracks of a leopard may be discovered in the neighbourhood.

The trap is formed by an oblong 10 feet by 3 of very strong and straight

palisades, sunk 2 feet deep in the ground, and well pounded in with

stones. These should be 5 feet high, with a fall door at one end. The

top should be closely secured with heavy cross-pieces of parallel logs,

well weighted with big stones.

The rear of this trap should be partitioned with bamboo cross-bars to

form a cage, in which either a goat or a village dog should be tied as a

living bait. Leopards are particularly fond of dogs, and the advantage

of such a bait during the night consists in the certainty that the dog,

finding itself alone in a strange place, will howl or bark, and thereby

attract the leopard. The partition must be made of sufficient strength

to protect the animal from attack. In Africa the natives form a trap by

supporting the fallen trunk of a large tree in such a manner that it

falls upon the leopard as it passes beneath to reach the bait. This is

very effective in crushing the animal, but it is exceedingly dangerous,

like all other African traps, as it would kill any person or other

creature that should attempt to pass. Newera Ellia, the mountain

sanatorium of Ceylon, was always well furnished with leopard-traps upon

the permanent system, and the leopards, which were at one time a scourge

of the neighbourhood, were considerably reduced. In 1846 I introduced

English breeds of cattle and sheep, and started an agricultural

settlement at that delightful mountain refuge from tropical heat; but

the leopard became our greatest enemy, and although the cattle were well

housed at night, and carefully watched when at pasture during the day,

our losses were severe. I observed a peculiarity in the attacks by

leopards; they seldom appeared upon a bright summer day, but during the

rainy season, when the wind was howling across the plain, and driving

the cold mist and rain, the cattle were off their guard, and generally

turned their tails to the chilly blast. It was invariably during such

weather that the leopards attacked. The watchman was probably wrapped in

his blanket, wet, and shivering beneath a tree, instead of remaining on

the alert, and this auspicious moment was selected by the leopard for a

successful stalk upon the unsuspecting herd. I have frequently lost both

cows and sheep, that were attacked and killed in broad daylight, and the

leopards were generally of sufficient strength to break the neck of a

full-grown beast. It should be remembered that the native cattle are

much smaller than those of Europe, and I do not think it would be

possible for a leopard to dislocate the neck of any English cow. An

example occurred when unfortunately a valuable Ayrshire cow was

attacked, and the leopard completely failed in the usual dexterous

wrench, but the throat was so mangled that the cow died within a few

days, although the leopard was driven away by the watchman almost

immediately upon its onset.

The wounds from the claws of a leopard are exceedingly dangerous, as the

animal is in the habit of feeding upon carcases some days after they

have been killed; the flesh is at that time in an incipient stage of

decomposition, and the claws, which are used to hold the flesh while it

is torn by the teeth and jaws, become tainted and poisoned sufficiently

to ensure gangrene by inoculation. The claws of all carnivora are five

upon each of the fore feet, including the useful dew-claw, which is used

as a thumb, and thoroughly secures the morsel while the animal is

pulling and tearing away the muscles from the bones.

A wound from either a tiger or a leopard should be thoroughly syringed

with cold water mixed with 1/35th part of carbolic acid, and this

syringing process should be continued three times a day whenever the

wound is dressed. Nothing should be done but to wrap the wound with

linen rag soaked in the same solution, and keep it continually wetted.

The daring of a leopard during night is extraordinary. I have frequently

during wet weather discovered in the early morning a regular beaten

track in the soft earth, where a leopard has been prowling round and

round a cattle-shed containing a herd of animals, vainly seeking for an

entrance.

At one time my own blacksmith had a nocturnal adventure with a leopard

which afforded a striking example of audacity. A native cow had a calf;

this being her first-born, the mother was exceedingly vicious, and it

was unsafe for a stranger to approach her, especially as her horns were

unusually long, and pointed. The cattle-shed was scarped out of the

hillside, and was within a few feet of the blacksmith's house. The roof

was thatched. During the night, a leopard, which smelt the presence of

the cow and calf, mounted the roof of the shed and proceeded to force an

entrance by scratching through the thatch. The cow at the same time had

detected the presence of the leopard, and, ever mindful of her calf, she

stood ready to receive the intruder, with her sharp horns prepared for

its appearance. It is supposed that upon the leopard's descent it was at

once pinned to the ground, before it had time to make its spring.

The noise of a tremendous struggle aroused the blacksmith, who, with a

lantern in his hand, opened the cattle-shed door and discovered the cow

in a frantic state of rage, butting and tossing some large object to and

fro, which evidently had lost all power of resistance. This was the

leopard in the last gasp, having been run through the body by the ready

horns of the courageous mother, whose little calf was nestled in a

corner, unmindful of the maternal struggle.

No sooner had the blacksmith appeared upon the scene, than the character

of the conflict changed, and the cow, regarding him in the light of a

fresh enemy, left the crumpled body of her antagonist and charged

straight at her proprietor, who dropped his lantern and flew to the arms

of his wife, whom he had left in bed. After some delay, during which the

courage of all parties was restored, excepting that of the crippled

leopard, the cow was appeased, and a shot from a pistol through the head

of the enemy closed the episode.

Every resident in India is aware of the depredations committed by this

pestilent class of the carnivora. Lions and tigers may be dangerous in

the jungles in every country which they inhabit, but they never invade

the actual premises; it is exactly there where the leopard is to be

feared. Nothing is too small or too large for its attack; from a fowl

upon the roost to a cow in the pasturage, all that belongs to the

domestic stock is fair game for the wily leopard.

The cautious approach of this animal is so wary that a dog is pinned by

the neck and carried off before it is aware of the presence of its

enemy. Upon one occasion in Africa we were bivouacked for the night on

the banks of the Settite river, and no sound disturbed the repose of the

camp. Suddenly a leopard bounded into the centre, where the Arabs were

sleeping around the embers of a splendid fire, and seizing one of the

dogs, it sprang into the darkness, carrying its captive with it. The

remaining dogs rushed off in pursuit, together with all the Arabs with

swords and shields, and the leopard dropped its prize about 150 yards

from our enclosure. The unfortunate dog had been surprised in its sleep,

and it died in a few hours from the injuries sustained, the neck and

throat being terribly lacerated. It would have been natural to suppose

that the dogs would have given an alarm on the approach of the wild

animal, but the noiseless tread of the leopard, as usual, was unheard,

even in the extreme stillness of a calm night. The sudden attack of a

leopard is generally so unexpected that a dog has no time for

self-defence, and being invariably seized by the neck, it is at once

rendered helpless, and cannot utter a warning shriek before it is

carried off. I was walking with a very powerful bull terrier at Newera

Ellia in Ceylon, when the dog, who was running through the jungle within

a few yards of me, suddenly disappeared without a cry, and was never

heard of again; this same dog would have made a good defence had it

confronted the leopard face to face.

On another occasion a dog named Matchless, a cross between foxhound and

pointer, was seized by a leopard in open day when, together with a pack

of hounds, walking through a jungle-path at Dimbola, not far from Newera

Ellia. The leopard sprang suddenly from a tree, and, seizing the dog,

immediately ascended, and took refuge among the boughs with the hound

suspended in its mouth. The entire pack bayed the audacious enemy; it

then dropped the dog and jumped from tree to tree, followed beneath by

the excited hounds. At length the leopard reached a large tree, which

was sufficiently isolated to prevent it from springing to any adjoining

branches. In this position it was surrounded, and became the central

object, where it remained snarling at the infuriated pack. The party of

hunters now commenced a bombardment with stones, and a lucky hit induced

the leopard to either jump or fall into the middle of the hounds. There

was an exceedingly large dog named Pirate, a cross between mastiff and

bloodhound; he immediately seized the leopard, and a general fight

ensued, the whole pack supporting Pirate in his attack. Captain E.

Palliser, late 7th Hussars, quickly thrust his hunting-knife under the

shoulder, and in a few minutes the hounds were worrying a dead leopard.

Some few years ago the hounds belonging to the late Mr. Downall hunted a

leopard at Newera Ellia, and a tremendous struggle ensued. There were

several very powerful and large seizers among the pack, and the enemy

was overmatched, but although the big dogs had the mastery of the

animal, they could not actually kill it outright. General J. Wilkinson

was on the spot, and he thrust his hunting-knife into the fatal spot;

but he was a little to slow in withdrawing the blade; the dying leopard

made a quick blow with its fore paw, and inflicted a serious wound upon

his hand, lacerating the muscles of the thumb to a degree that rendered

surgical treatment necessary for several weeks. When using the

hunting-knife, extreme dexterity is to be observed in delivering the

stab, and instantaneously recovering the weapon. There is no object to

be gained by keeping the knife within the wound, and there is

considerable danger of injury to the hand. If the knife is used by an

expert it will never be held with the point downwards like a dagger, but

the handle will be grasped for a direct thrust, as though the weapon

were a sword. In this position the knife is always well under command,

and it can be instantly withdrawn and the thrust repeated upon a

favourable opportunity.

I had a very savage and powerful dog many years ago which was a cross of

Manilla bloodhound with some big bitch at the Cape of Good Hope. This

animal weighed upwards of 130 lbs., and became a well-known character in

the pack, which I kept for seven years in Ceylon. Although I never

actually witnessed a duel between this dog and a leopard, such an event

frequently took place. It was the custom of Smut to decline all control,

and when the hounds were secured in couples to prevent them from

following the scent of a leopard, should recent tracks be visible in the

jungle, this determined dog would erect the bristles on his back, emit

low growls when summoned back, and would disappear to hunt up,

single-handed, the scent of the dreaded enemy. Upon these occasions Smut

would be unheard of during the remainder of the day, and he would return

to kennel in the evening, proudly trotting along, covered with blood and

wounds, but always so fierce that he refused all aid and medical

attendance; he was merely ready for his dinner. He had of course tackled

his adversary, and indulged his propensity for a stand-up fight, with

results which we never could discover; probably the leopard had been

glad to retire honourably from the uncertain conflict. This grand dog

was ultimately killed in a fight with an immense boar, and his name will

reappear in connection with the sambur deer, misnamed the "elk,"

throughout Ceylon.

It is most discouraging to lose good dogs through the stealthy attacks

of leopards, and in looking back to the list of casualties among the

pack when I kept hounds in Ceylon it is distressing to see the number

which were taken by these unsparing animals. If a hound is lost in the

jungle, it will certainly sit down and howl, thereby exhibiting

considerable intelligence, as it is, in fact, crying for assistance; but

such a cry will attract the ever-wary leopard, who will probably

approach by leaping from tree to tree, and pounce upon the unfortunate

dog before it is aware of the impending danger. The hound that would

have offered a stout resistance if boldly attacked face to face, has no

more chance than an Irish landlord when shot at by an assassin secreted

behind a wall by the roadside.

This noiseless approach may be imagined from an incident which occurred

to me in Abyssinia, when watching a pool by moonlight, in a deep bend of

the river Royan during the dry season; all streams had evaporated,

excepting an occasional deep hole in a sudden curve of the exhausted

bed. Hours had been passed, but nothing larger than antelopes had

appeared. We were sitting beneath a very large tree completely denuded

of leaves, and the moon was shining brightly, producing a sharp outline

of every bough. Suddenly my wife pulled my sleeve and directed my

attention to a large animal crouched upon the branches exactly above us.

I might have taken a splendid shot, but I at first imagined it to be a

dog-faced baboon (Cynocephalus) that had been asleep upon the tree. I

stood erect to obtain a clearer view, and at once the object sprang to

the ground within a few feet of us and bounded into the jungle. This was

a leopard, which had probably reached the tree by means of some

neighbouring branch, and so noiselessly that we had not discovered its

presence. The animal had evidently winded us, and determined to

reconnoitre our position.

In every country the natives are unanimous in declaring that the leopard

is more dangerous than the lion or tiger, and I quite agree in their

theory that when any dangerous animal is met with, the traveller should

endeavour to avoid its direct gaze. It is an error to suppose that the

steady look from the human eye will affect an animal by a superior

power, and thereby exert a subduing influence; on the contrary, I

believe that the mere fact of this concentration of a fixed stare upon

the responding eyes of a savage animal will increase its rage and incite

attack. If an animal sees you, and it imagines that it is itself

unobserved, it will frequently pass by, or otherwise retreat, as it

believes that it is unseen, and therefore it has no immediate dread; but

if it is convinced that you mean mischief, by staring it out of

countenance, it will in all probability take the initiative and

forestall the anticipated attack.

A leopard will frequently attack if it is certain that your eyes have

met, and it is always advisable, if you are unarmed, to pretend to

disregard it, at the same time that you keep an acute look-out lest it

should approach you from behind. Wherever I have been in Africa, the

natives have declared that they had no fear of a lion, provided that

they were not hunting, as it would certainly not attack them unprovoked;

but that a leopard was never to be trusted, especially should it feel

that it was discovered. I remember an occasion when the dry grass had

been fired, and a native boy, accompanied by his grown-up brother, was

busily employed with others in igniting the yellow reeds on the opposite

bank of a small stream, which had checked the advance of the approaching

flames. Being thirsty and hot, the boy stooped down to drink, and he was

immediately seized by a leopard, which sprang from the high grass. His

brother, with admirable aim, hurled his spear at the leopard while the

boy was in its jaws; the point separated the vertebrae of the neck, and

the fierce brute fell stone dead. The boy was carried to my hut, but

there was no chance of recovery, as the fangs had torn open his chest

and injured the lungs; these were exposed to view through the cavity

between his ribs. He died during the night. The muscular strength of the

jaws and neck is very marked in all the carnivora, and the skull when

cleaned is most disappointing, and insignificant if compared with the

size of a living head. This is especially the case with leopards, and it

is difficult to believe that so small a pair of jaws can inflict a

deadly wound almost immediately.

I have already remarked upon the wide difference in the size of

leopards, showing that the largest, which are sometimes known as

panthers, are almost equal to a small tigress. Some of this class

possess extraordinary power, in carrying a heavy weight within their

jaws. At a place called Soonbarro, in the Jubbulpur district, we were

camped upon a large open space entirely devoid of bush. The ground was

free from grass, and dusty, therefore the surface would expose every

track. Three full-grown sheep were tied to the cook's tent, well secured

to a strong peg. In the morning only two remained, but the large tracks

of a leopard or panther were deeply printed in the dust, and the sheep

had been carried off bodily, as a big dog would carry a hare. The jungle

at the base of a range of hills, almost perpendicular and full of caves,

was the great resort of leopards, bears, and jackals; the sheep had been

actually carried quite half a mile without leaving a trace upon the

ground to show that it had been partially dragged, or that the leopard

had stopped to rest. This was an admirable proof of a great carrying

power, as nothing could have moved upon that dusty surface without

leaving a well-printed trace.

Although the cubs of leopards are charming playthings, and exhibit much

intelligence and apparent affection, it is a great mistake to adopt such

companions, whose hereditary instincts are certain to become developed

in full-grown life and lead to grave disaster. The common domestic cat

is somewhat uncertain with her claws, and most people must have observed

that should they be themselves spared the infliction of a feline

scratch, the seats and backs of morocco chairs are well marked by the

sharp talons, which cannot refrain from exercising their power upon any

substance that tempts the operation. I remember a leopard in Khartoum

that was considered tame; this beast broke its chain, and instead of

enjoying its liberty in a peaceful manner, it at once fastened upon the

throat of a much-prized cow, and would have killed the animal had it not

been itself beaten to death with clubs by a number of stout slaves of

the establishment. All such creatures are untrustworthy, and they should

be avoided as domestic pets. The only class of leopard that should

become the companion of man is the most interesting of the species: this

is the hunting leopard (Felis jubata). I have never met a person who has

shot one of this species in a wild state, and such an animal is rarely

met with in the jungle. Most people are under the impression that the

hunting leopard with non-retractile claws is incapable of climbing a

tree; I was myself of this opinion until I actually witnessed the act,

and the animal ran up a tree with apparent ease, ascending to the top.

The Felis jubata is totally different in shape from all other leopards.

Instead of being low and long, with short but massive legs, it stands

extremely high; the neck is long, the head small, the eyes large and

piercing; the legs are long, and the body light. The tail is extremely

long, and thick; this appears to assist it when turning sharply at full

speed. The black spots upon the skin are very numerous, and are simply

small dots of extreme black, without a resemblance of rings. It is

generally admitted that the hunting leopard is the fastest animal in the

world, as it can overtake upon open ground the well-known black-buck,

which surpasses in speed the highest bred English greyhound. I have

never had experience of this animal in a wild state; those I have known

were as gentle as dogs. It is a common mistake to suppose that they

invariably approach their game by a stealthy stalk, followed by a few

tremendous bounds, only to slink back if disgraced by defeat. I have

seen them run a long course in the open, exactly like a greyhound,

although the pace and action have resembled the long swinging gallop of

a monkey. The nature of this beautiful creature is entirely opposed to

the cat-like crouching tactics of the ordinary leopard: its large and

prominent eyes embrace a wide field of view; the length of neck and

legs, combined with the erect attitude of the head, denotes the

character of the animal, as it includes a vast distance in its gaze,

showing that it seeks its game upon a wide expanse of plain, instead of

surprising the prey by an unexpected and treacherous attack. This is the

only species that is a useful companion to man when engaged in field

sports; and the native princes of India have from time immemorial been

accustomed to train the Felis jubata for hunting deer and antelopes,

precisely as European nations have adopted the greyhound for the

coursing of hares.

The Guikwar of Baroda possesses first-class hunting leopards, and I had

an opportunity of witnessing many good hunts when enjoying his

hospitality at Dubka in 1880. The whole of that country is rich alluvial

soil, which produces vast agricultural wealth. The fields are divided by

exceedingly thin live fences formed by a species of Euphorbia; the

country being flat, it affords the perfection of ground for riding,

therefore such sport as pig-sticking or coursing may be enjoyed to the

fullest extent. During our visit the Guikwar had most kindly arranged

every kind and style of sport, including a pack of hounds, half a dozen

well-trained cheetahs (hunting leopards), and a posse of hawks and

falcons with their numerous attendants. The position of Dubka was

supposed to be most favourable for a hunting centre, about 18 miles from

the capital Baroda. There was a large palace for the Guikwar, and a

convenient bungalow for his friends, situated about 30 yards from the

cliff, which, 100 feet above the stream, commanded an imposing view of

the river; this flowed beneath, about 3/4 mile in width during

floodtime, but was now reduced to 300 or 400 yards in the dry season. A

few miles from the bungalow there was a magnificent country for the

cheetahs, as the ground, having been subject to inundations, was now

perfectly dry, and exposed a large plain, like an open race-course, upon

which the young grass was about 2 inches high. In the neighbourhood of

this plain there were a few low hills covered with sparse jungle, and

for several miles around, the flat surface was more or less overgrown

with bush, interspersed with patches of cultivation.

On the first day's journey we travelled along a dusty road, which had

never been metalled, for the reason that no stone existed in the

neighbourhood; the wheels of the carriages sank deeply in the sandy

loam, and the saddle was a far more enjoyable seat than a struggling

wheeled conveyance. The falconers enlivened the journey by several

flights at herons and cranes, which were very numerous in the marshes

that bordered occasional lakes or jheels. We had the opportunity of

observing the sagacity of a peregrine falcon, which, immediately upon

being unmasked, rose straight in the air, instead of following the heron

on its direct course. At first I imagined that it did not see the bird,

which flew very high, and kept above the lake. Presently the falcon took

a totally opposite direction, soaring to an altitude that reduced it to

a mere speck. By this time the heron had cleared the large expanse of

water, and was at a great height, perpendicular with the dry land

beneath. The falcon made a sudden swoop, and with the velocity of a

meteor it shot downwards upon an oblique course towards the unlucky

heron. This bird had evidently been watching the impending danger, and

it attempted to evade the attack by rising rapidly in the air, in order

to destroy the advantage which a higher altitude had conferred upon the

enemy. It was too slow: the falcon shot like an arrow to the mark, and

struck the heron with such force that for the moment both birds, hanging

together, fell for about 100 feet, as though hit by a rifle bullet.

After the first blow, the large wings of the heron expanded, and checked

the rapid fall; the falcon was fixed upon its back, holding the neck in

its sharp beak, while it clung to the body with its claws. In this

position the two birds slowly descended towards the ground, twirling

round and round in their descent from a height of about 1000 feet.

In the meantime the falconers had been galloping at full speed around

the lake, towards the spot upon which they had expected the birds to

fall. The falcon was very savage, and it continued to tear the neck of

the heron even when captured by the men. This was a cruel exhibition, as

the head falconer, having taken possession of the birds, brought them to

be admired, the heron being still alive, while the peregrine was tearing

at its bleeding neck. He appeared surprised that I insisted upon its

being killed, and he at once replaced the hood upon the falcon and

prepared for another flight. He explained the reason for the peculiar

behaviour of the falcon in taking a different direction from its game;

it was afraid of the water beneath, into which both birds must have

fallen had the heron been struck before it had cleared the surface; it

had therefore attained a high altitude in a different direction, from

which it could swoop obliquely when the lake no longer lay beneath them.

This man was a high authority, and he assured me that many well-trained

falcons would decline to strike a bird when flying across water, as they

thoroughly understood the danger.

We had several good flights, in one of which a large crane succumbed

after a very severe struggle, which seemed to test the utmost strength

of the peregrine, but in every case the attack was delivered from a

superior altitude, which left no chance of escape to the bird beneath;

the result depended upon the power of the falcon to continue its hold

during the struggles of the heavier and more powerful bird.

On the day following our arrival at Dubka, we devoted ourselves to

hunting the black-buck with cheetah. In this sport, all persons,

excepting the keepers of the animals, are simply spectators, and no

interference is permitted. Each cheetah occupies a peculiar cage, which

forms the body of a cart, drawn by two bullocks. When game is expected,

the cheetah is taken from the cage, and occupies the outside seat upon

the top, together with the keeper. The animal is blinded by a hood,

similar to that worn by the falcon, and it sits upright like a dog, with

the master's arm around it, waiting to be released from the hood, which

it fully understands is the signal that game is sighted.

There were plenty of black-buck, and we were not long in finding a herd,

in which were several good old buck, as black as night. Nothing could be

more favourable than the character of the ground, for the natural habits

of the cheetah. The surface was quite flat and firm, being a succession

of glades more or less open, surrounded by scattered bush. A cheetah was

now taken from its cage, and it at once leapt to the top, and sat with

its master, who had released it from the hood. After an advance of about

200 yards, the wheels making no noise upon the level surface, we espied

the herd of about twenty antelopes, and the cart at once halted until

they had slowly moved from view. Again the cart moved forward for 70 or

80 paces, and two bucks were seen trotting away to the left, as they had

caught a glimpse of the approaching cart. In an instant the cheetah was

loosed; for a moment it hesitated, and then bounded forward, although

the two bucks had disappeared. We now observed that the cheetah not only

slackened its pace, but it crept cautiously forward, as though looking

for the lost game.

We followed quietly upon horseback, and in a few seconds we saw the two

bucks about 120 yards distant, standing with their attention fixed upon

us. At the same instant the cheetah dashed forward with an extraordinary

rush; the two bucks, at the sight of their dreaded enemy, bounded away

at their usual speed, with the cheetah following, until all animals were

lost to view among the scattered bushes.

We galloped forward in the direction they had taken, and in less than

300 yards we arrived at the spot where the cheetah had pinned the buck;

this was lying upon its back without a struggle, while the firm jaws of

the pursuer gripped its throat.

The cheetah did not attempt to shake or tear the prey, but simply

retained its hold, thus strangling the victim, which had ceased all

resistance.

The keeper now arranged the hood upon the cheetah's head, thus masking

the eyes, which were gleaming with wild excitement, but it in no way

relaxed its grip. Taking a strong cord, the keeper now passed it several

times around the neck of the buck, while it was still held in the jaws

of the cheetah, and drawing the cord tight, he carefully cut the throat

close to the teeth of the tenacious animal. As the blood spurted from

the wound, it was caught in a large but shallow wooden bowl or ladle,

furnished with a handle. When this was nearly full, the mask was taken

off the cheetah, and upon seeing the spoon full of blood it relaxed its

grasp and immediately began to lap the blood from its well-known ladle.

When the meal was finished, the mask or hood was replaced, and the

cheetah was once more confined within its cage, as it would not run

again during that day.

The wooden ladle is, to the cheetah, an attraction corresponding to the

"lure" of a falcon; the latter is an arrangement of feathers to imitate

a bird. The ladle is known by the cheetah to be always connected with

blood, which it receives as a reward after a successful hunt; therefore,

when loose, and perhaps disobedient to a call, it will generally be

recovered by exhibiting the much-loved spoon, to which it returns, like

a horse to a sieve of oats.

We now uncarted a fresh cheetah, and were not kept long waiting before

we came upon a lot of antelopes, most of which were females and young

bucks. At length, after careful stalking by driving the bullock-cart in

an opposite direction to the herd, and then slightly turning to the

left, in the endeavour to decrease our distance, we saw a fine buck

standing alone within 100 yards, as we had not been observed while

advancing through the scattered bush.

The cheetah lost not a moment, but springing lightly to the ground, it

was at full speed, and within 50 yards before the unwary buck perceived

it. Taken by surprise, instead of bounding off in mad retreat, this

gallant little buck lowered its sharp-pointed horns and stood on the

defence against the onset of its fierce antagonist. This was a pretty

but a pitiable sight, as I knew that the odds were terribly against the

buck; but in another instant the actual encounter took place, and I was

surprised to see how well the plucky buck conducted the defence. It

actually charged the advancing cheetah, and stopped its rush. The

cheetah held back, and again the buck rushed in; but as we advanced, the

poor little beast was evidently frightened at the people, and it turned

to run. The moment that the cheetah saw its opportunity, it sprang

forward; we saw the blow of the paw, delivered as quick as lightning

upon the right haunch, and the gallant little buck was on its back, with

its throat hopelessly throttled in the cheetah's jaws.

We were sorry for this termination, as I should like to have witnessed

the result, had we not disturbed the fight by our presence. The keepers

did not regard the affair in the same light, as they declared the

cheetah might have been injured severely by the horns, but that

eventually it would have killed the black-buck.

In a couple of days we had killed a number of these beautiful animals,

but I became tired of the sport, as the affair was invariably over in a

couple of minutes. One thing was certain, the cheetahs were first-rate,

and there was none of the skulking and slinking back, which I had read

of as characteristic of the hunting leopard.

This style of hunting must naturally depend upon the condition of the

ground. We had hunted the localities that were in favour of the cheetah,

when scattered bush admitted of a tolerably close approach; but after a

couple of days we had scared the black-buck to such a degree that they

entirely forsook the sparse covert, and took to the bare open plain,

where it was simply impossible to approach them unobserved. This

intensified the pleasure, as hitherto the cheetahs had triumphed in

almost every hunt.

I accordingly suggested that we should confine our party to three

mounted persons and three carts, with of course the same number of

cheetahs, and endeavour to obtain some real coursing upon the open

plain.

We started. There was hardly a bush upon the wide expanse of level

ground, as smooth as a billiard table; only two or three trees occupied

this large area, and they were unhealthy specimens, which looked as

though periodical inundations had disagreed with them. We arrived upon

this great natural race-course, and the binoculars were at once in

request to scan the distant surface in search of the desired game. In a

short time, as we advanced leisurely, constantly halting to take an

observation, we discovered a considerable herd of about thirty or forty

antelopes, among which there were two bucks perfectly black; these were

feeding upon the short young grass in the very centre of the open

ground. The question arose, "How in the world shall we get near them?"

It was determined that our three horses should as much as possible

conceal themselves on the right side of the three carts, and that they

should attempt the approach by moving in a circle, getting nearer and

nearer to the herd, as the black-buck family might become less shy, and

more accustomed to the appearance of the carts. This plan was cleverly

carried out by the drivers, and in about twenty minutes we had, by

circling and alternately advancing direct, got to within 300 yards'

distance. The herd was all together, as several times they had stopped

feeding to gaze at our party, after which they had trotted off a little

distance, and then closed up, as though for mutual protection, which

gave confidence. We again halted, to try the effect upon the herd. They

merely looked up, and for the moment ceased feeding, but almost

immediately one of the bucks made an unprovoked attack upon the other,

apparently with the intention of driving it away from the females.

Instead of retreating from the insult, the affronted buck at once

returned to the encounter, and a tremendous fight was the immediate

result, the two combatants charging each other like rams, and boring,

first one, then the other backward, with the greatest fury. During this

duel the herd of females stood entranced, as admiring spectators of the

struggle.

Not so our drivers, who, instead of their hitherto wary tactics, now

prodded their bullocks with the sharp-pointed sticks, and drove at full

trot straight towards the combatants. In this manner we gained a

position within half a minute that we should perhaps never have obtained

had the bucks remained in peaceful tempers; the females perceived the

danger of our approach, and they started off, leaping in their usual

manner many feet in the air perpendicularly at every bound, leaving the

two stupid males in the ecstasy of a mortal struggle.

We reached a position within about 120 yards before the two fools

observed us. They at once left off fighting, and having regarded us in

astonishment for half a second, one dashed off to the left, and the

other to the right, across the open plain devoid of bush, or ruts, or

any obstacle to the highest speed.

At that same moment a cheetah that had been held in readiness leapt

airily to the ground, and the chase commenced after the right-hand buck,

which had a start of about 110 yards. The keeper simply begged us not to

follow until he should give the word.

It was a magnificent sight to see the extraordinary speed of both the

pursued and the pursuer. The buck flew like a bird along the level

surface, followed by the cheetah, who was laying out at full stretch,

with its long, thick tail brandishing in the air. They had run about 200

yards, when the keeper gave the word, and away we went as hard as the

horses could go over this first-class ground, where no danger of a fall

seemed possible. I never saw anything to equal the speed of the buck and

cheetah; we were literally nowhere, although we were going as hard as

horse-flesh could carry us, but we had a glorious view.

The cheetah was gaining in the course, literally flying along the

ground, while the buck was exerting every muscle for life or death in

its last race. Presently, after a course of about a quarter of a mile,

the buck doubled like a hare, and the cheetah lost ground as it shot

ahead, instead of turning quickly, being only about 30 yards in the rear

of the buck. Recovering itself, it turned on extra steam, and the race

appeared to recommence with increased speed. The cheetah was determined

to win, and at this moment the buck made another double, in the hope of

shaking off its terrible pursuer; but this time the 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; beyond 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 accordingly ran up a solitary tree with

the agility of a monkey.

From this height the cheetah surveyed the retreating herd of antelopes,

and refused to descend when summoned. It was necessary for the attendant

to mount the tree, but the difficulty was increased by the cheetah

making unamiable faces as the man approached his perch. The wooden ladle

was now produced as a lure, and after some hesitation the animal

followed the man as he descended; the hood was adjusted over the eyes,

and the cheetah was replaced within its cage.

From the description given of the various classes of leopards, the

destruction committed by these animals may be easily imagined;

fortunately they do not breed like our domestic cats, but they seldom

have more than two, or at the most three cubs at a birth. I have always

been of opinion that the Government should cease to offer a reward for

the destruction of tigers (50 rupees), but that an increased reward

should be given for the death of every leopard (25 rupees). The tigers

will be always killed by Europeans who do not require the inducement of

a bonus, and the sum of 25 rupees would incite the natives to trap and

destroy a common pest and scourge (the leopard), which seldom or never

affords the hunter a chance of sport.

The cheetah (Felis jubata) should be exempted from this decree, as it

seldom attacks domestic animals, but confines its attention to the

beasts of the plains and forests.