but much
fiercer, than the others."

"I know that there are leopards in the country, but we have never yet
fallen in with one. Are they dangerous?"

"The leopard shuns any conflict with man, but when driven to desperation
it becomes a formidable antagonist. I recollect very well two boors
having attacked a leopard, and the animal, being hotly pressed by them
and wounded, turned round and sprang upon the one nearest, pulling him
to the ground, biting his shoulder, and tearing him with his claws. The
other, seeing the danger of his comrade, sprang from his horse and
attempted to shoot the animal through the head. He missed, and the
leopard left the first man, sprang upon him, and, striking him on the
face, tore his scalp down over his eyes. The hunter grappled with the
animal, and at last they rolled together down a steep cliff. As soon as
the first hunter could reload his gun, he rushed after them to save his
friend, but it was too late. The animal had seized him by the throat,
and mangled him so dreadfully, that death was inevitable, and all that
the man could do was to avenge his comrade's death by shooting the
leopard."

"That proves the leopard is not to be trifled with."

"No animal is, when it stands at bay, or is driven to desperation; and,
in confirmation of this, I once witnessed one of these animals--the
quaggas--which, being pressed to the edge of a precipice by a mounted
hunter, seized the man's foot with its teeth, and actually tore it off;
so that, although medical aid was at hand, the man died from loss of
blood."

"One would hardly expect such a tragical issue to the chase of a wild
jackass," observed the Major.

"No; but `in the midst of life we are in death,' and we never know from
whence the blow may come. Until it occurred, such an event was supposed
impossible, and the very idea would have created nothing but ridicule.
By the bye, one of our good missionaries was very near losing his life
by a leopard. He went to save a Hottentot who had been seized, and was
attacked by the leopard, which, as in the former instance, left his
first antagonist to meet his second. Fortunately, Mr S was a very
powerful man, and assistance was sooner given him than in the former
instance. Neither he nor the Hottentot, however, escaped without severe
wounds, which confined them for many weeks."

"Is there more than one variety of leopard, Swinton?"

"Yes; there is the common leopard and the hunting le