Photographing Wild. Animals.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 13 March 1914, Page 4

Photographing Wild. Animals.

Here is an experience in Africa which illustrates the thrills of the new sport:— Late one afternoon, after 1 had decided to give up my work for the rest of the day, I was strolling back to camp, along the river bank, when I spied a leopard creeping along in front of me, keeping close to the water's edge, under some overhanging branches. He did not seem to be aware of my presence—at any rate, he took no notice of me—but sprang on a bough, and climbed down, right over the stream. At once I got my machine to work on .him. When he was well out on the bough he began to make a most peculiar noise, at the same time striking downwards with his paw. Then I discovered the reason for his action. In the water was a dead hippo, or rather, the putrid ' remains of one. All around it were crocodiles, and the leopard was trying to drive them off while he got his share. It was a wonderful chance for me. I secured some 50?t of film of it without the least difficulty. A night visit from a hungiT lion is told with vivid directness: Recently I had been suffering: greatly from insomnia, a veiy common complaint in the game veldt- -I suppose the strain of being constantly on the alert overtires one's brain—and, about two o'clock in the morning, I threw my blankets aside and went to the camp fire, intending to sit there and smoke until I grew sleepy. The fire had burnt low, the guard, who was supposed to tend it, being stretched out by the tent, fast asleep. I was just going to rouse him, when I happened to look round. The shock I received was a nasty one. There, but a bare twelve yards away, his eyes blazing like two glowing coals, was a lion.

A single bound took me back into the tent. A moment later I had seized Clark's rifle, and had roused its owner with a kick. But when I looked out again, cautiously this time, those eyes were no longer visible. I supposed my hurried movements had shown the lion that he had just missed his chance of seizing the sleeping guard. JFTad he been a minute or so earlier, the boy would have paid for his fault, with his life.