128 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

village consisted of a group of tembes with a tall hedge of euphorbise round it, and having a considerable space, between the hedge and the huts, covered with high grass, in which the leopard had taken refuge. On hearing about it, I took my rifle and went over to the place with some of my men. A large crowd was collected outside the borna, or fence, armed with guns, spears, and clubs. All were afraid to venture near the spot where the creature was said to be concealed, and contented themselves by firing random shots into the bushes, at far greater risk to the villagers than to the leopard. On the arrival of my men they plucked up courage, and two of my servants with some, others began beating the grass, and soon made the leopard show himself; he tried to bolt, but finding himself surrounded, sprang right on the top of two of my men, knocking them down and scratching them badly ; so I took them back to the village to dress their wounds, and handing nay rifle to one of the mail men, told him to be more careful ; but I had not been back long, and had scarcely finished dressing the others' wounds, when he came in, his face streaming with blood and one ear completely torn off. Itseems they had driven the leopard into a corner of the hedge, and this man was peeping in to see where it was, when the beast sprang out on top of him and tore the ear away. Ultimately the creature was killed, but not before it had badly wounded six more