ttained a luxuriance rarely seen in the dry uplands,
where the west winds lick up the moisture, and the soil is arid and
unpromising. The matted intertwining branches of the creepers had
formed an almost impervious screen, and on the basis thus formed, amid
the branches and creepers, the leopards had formed their lair. Beneath,
was a still stagnant pool; above, was the leafy foliage. The tracks led
down to a well-worn path.

Climbing like a cat, as the leopards can do, they found no difficulty
in gaining a footing on the mass of vegetation. They generally select
some retired spot like this, and are very seldom seen in the daytime.
With the approach of night, however, they begin their wandering in
quest of prey. In a beat such as we were having 'all is fish that comes
to the net,' and leopards, if they are in the jungle, have to yield to
the advance of the beaters, like the other denizens of the forest.

Experience tells you that the leopard is daring and ferocious. Old
experienced hands warn you, that unless you can make sure of your shot,
it is unwise to fire at a leopard approaching. It is better to wait
till he has got past you, or at all events is 'broadside on.' If you
only wound him as he is approaching, he will almost to a certainty make
straight at you, but if you shoot him as he is going past, he will,
maddened by pain and anger, go straight forward, and you escape his
charge. He is more courageous than a tiger, and a very dangerous
customer at close quarters. Up in one of the forests in Oudh, a friend
of mine was out one day after leopard, with a companion who belonged to
the forest department. My friend's companion fired at a leopard as it
was approaching him, and wounded it severely. Nothing daunted, and
recognising whence its hurt had come, it charged directly down on the
concealed sportsman, and before he could half realise the position,
sprang on him, caught his left arm in its teeth, and began mauling him
with its claws. His presence of mind did not desert him; noticing close
by the stump of a sal tree, that had been eaten by white ants till the
harder parts of the wood alone remained, standing up hard and sharp
like so many spikes of steel; and knowing that the leopard was already
badly wounded, and in all probability struggling for his life, he
managed to drag the struggling animal up to the stump; jammed his left
arm yet further into the open mouth of the wounded beast, and being a
strong man, by pur