Wild Beasts and Their Ways by Sir Samuel White Baker (adult books to read txt) 📕

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