A LEOPARD AND HER YOUNG ONE.
CHAPTER XVII.
AN UNSUCCESSFUL HUNT FOR ELEPHANTS—I TAKE AIM AT A BUFFALO—A LEOPARD IN THE GRASS NEAR US—WE SHOOT THE LEOPARD AND HER KITTEN—GREAT REJOICING IN CAMP—WHO SHALL HAVE THE TAIL?—A QUARREL OVER THE BRAINS—THE GUINEA HENS—THE MONKEYS.
Early the next morning, Aboko and I got up. Aboko covered himself with his war fetiches, and also with the fetiches that were to bring good luck, and give him a steady hand. On the middle of his forehead was a yellow spot made with clay. When he had finished these preparations we started.
Our desire was to kill elephants. We saw plenty of tracks, and we hunted all day long. In many places, to judge by the tracks, the elephants had been only an hour or two before ourselves. But we did not see a single elephant, and I killed only a few monkeys for my men's dinner, as well as a few birds.
We were returning to the camp, rather down-hearted, when I heard the cry of the grey male partridge, of which I have already spoken, calling for his mates to come and perch on the tree he had chosen. We turned back to get a shot, if possible, for they are fine eating. We were just on the edge of the forest; and, as I pushed out into the prairie, suddenly I saw several buffaloes, one of which I made sure of as he stood a little in advance of the rest, where the grass was high enough for a stealthy approach. I immediately put a ball into the barrel that had only shot, so that I might have my two barrels loaded with bullets. Then Aboko and I advanced slowly towards the unconscious bull, which stood a fair mark, and I was about to raise my gun when Aboko made a quick sign to hold still and listen. Aboko, at the same time, breathed as if he were smelling something.
I did not know why it was that Aboko had stopped me, but I knew there must be better game at hand, or some other good reason for his doing so. Perhaps he had heard the footstep of an elephant. I looked at his face, and saw that it appeared anxious.
As we stood perfectly motionless, I heard, at apparently a little distance before us, a low purring sound, which might have been taken, by a careless ear, for the sound of the wind passing through the grass. But to Aboko's quick ear it betokened something else. His face grew very earnest, and he whispered to me "Njego" (leopard).
What were we to do? The noise continued. We cocked our guns, and moved, slowly and cautiously, a few steps ahead, to get a position where we thought we might see over the grass. The leopard might pounce upon us at any moment. What would prevent him from doing so if he chose? Certainly not our guns, for we did not know exactly where the beast was. To tell you the truth, I did not feel comfortable at all; I had a slight objection to being carried away in the jaws of a leopard and devoured in the woods.
Our situation was far from being a pleasant one. The leopard comes out generally by night only, and nothing but extreme hunger will bring him out of his lair in open day. When he is hungry, he is also unusually savage, and very quick in his motions.