Wild Beasts and Their Ways, Reminiscences of Europe, Asia, Africa and America — Volume 1Baker, Samuel White, Sir
History
Wild Beasts and Their Ways, Reminiscences of Europe, Asia, Africa and America — Volume 1
Baker, Samuel White, Sir
Animal behavior; Hunting
The wooden ladle is, to the cheetah, an attraction corresponding to the
"lure" of a falcon; the latter is an arrangement of feathers to imitate
a bird. The ladle is known by the cheetah to be always connected with
blood, which it receives as a reward after a successful hunt; therefore,
when loose, and perhaps disobedient to a call, it will generally be
recovered by exhibiting the much-loved spoon, to which it returns, like
a horse to a sieve of oats.
We now uncarted a fresh cheetah, and were not kept long waiting before
we came upon a lot of antelopes, most of which were females and young
bucks. At length, after careful stalking by driving the bullock-cart in
an opposite direction to the herd, and then slightly turning to the
left, in the endeavour to decrease our distance, we saw a fine buck
standing alone within 100 yards, as we had not been observed while
advancing through the scattered bush.
The cheetah lost not a moment, but springing lightly to the ground, it
was at full speed, and within 50 yards before the unwary buck perceived
it. Taken by surprise, instead of bounding off in mad retreat, this
gallant little buck lowered its sharp-pointed horns and stood on the
defence against the onset of its fierce antagonist. This was a pretty
but a pitiable sight, as I knew that the odds were terribly against the
buck; but in another instant the actual encounter took place, and I was
surprised to see how well the plucky buck conducted the defence. It
actually charged the advancing cheetah, and stopped its rush. The
cheetah held back, and again the buck rushed in; but as we advanced, the
poor little beast was evidently frightened at the people, and it turned
to run. The moment that the cheetah saw its opportunity, it sprang
forward; we saw the blow of the paw, delivered as quick as lightning
upon the right haunch, and the gallant little buck was on its back, with
its throat hopelessly throttled in the cheetah's jaws.
We were sorry for this termination, as I should like to have witnessed
the result, had we not disturbed the fight by our presence. The keepers
did not regard the affair in the same light, as they declared the
cheetah might have been injured severely by the horns, but that
eventually it would have killed the black-buck.
In a couple of days we had killed a number of these beautiful animals,
but I became tired of the sport, as the affair was invariably over in a
couple of minutes. One thing was certain, the cheetahs were first-rate,
and there was none of the skulking and slinking back, which I had read
of as characteristic of the hunting leopard.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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