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The Hermit and Leopard
VERY ani- thirsty creature, yet stories are told which mal almost show that this animal can be tamed, and in the there are several instances in which, like world ap- the dog, it has been made even a compreciates panion. kindness. You see from the engraving what You can appears to be a mountainous country. almost There is a strange-looking figure with a tame the skull-cap on his head, heavy staff in his lion, and hand, and wearing a long, loose dress. He there is a is a Hermit who lives up in the hills. It town in seems that he captured a young Leopard, Africa and treating it fondly and affectionately, where the animal soon took a great liking to lions are him. It has grown now almost to its allowed to natural size, but is so fond of the old man go about and his desert home that it will not leave the streets him. They are on the very best of terms, just as and while the Leopard is a dangerous dogs are beast in its wild state, this one never permitted offers to harm its friend and protector. to do here. This is a wonderful illustration of the The fierc- power that kindness has over even the brute creation. est disposition can be subdued.
The Leopard is a treacherous, blood- Yet it will not do to trust the Leopard (292) in his wild state. The following adven- The Leopard, abandoning his prostrate ture took place in a frontier district of enemy, darted with redoubled fury upon Southern Africa, and was described by this second antagonist, and so fierce and one of the two individuals so perilously sudden was his onset, that, before the engaged in it: boor could stab him with his hunting- Two boors, returning from hunting the knife, he struck him in the eyes with hartbeest, fell in with a Leopard in a his claws, and had torn the scalp over his mountain ravine, and immediately gave forehead. In this frightful condition, the chase to him. The animal at first endeav- hunter grappled with the raging beast, ored to escape, by clambering up a preci- and, struggling for life, they rolled topice, but, being hotly pressed, and slightly gether down a steep declivity. wounded by a musket-ball, he turned All this passed so rapidly that the other upon his pursuers with that frantic fero- man had scarcely time to recover from city which, on such emergencies, he fre- the confusion into which his feline foe quently displays, and, springing upon the had thrown him, to seize his gun, and man who had fired at him, tore him from rush forward to aid his comrade, when he his horse to the ground, biting him at the beheld them rolling together down the same time very severely on the shoulder, steep bank, in mortal conflict. In a few and tearing his face and arms with his moments he was at the bottom with them, claws. The other hunter, seeing the but too late to save the life of his friend. danger of his comrade, sprang from his He had only the melancholy satisfaction horse, and attempted to shoot the Leopard of completing the destruction of the savthrough the head; but, whether owing to age beast, which was already much ex trepidation or the fear of wounding his hausted by several deep wounds in the friend, or the sudden motions of the ani- breast from the desperate knife of the mal, he unfortunately missed his aim. expiring huntsman.
