LEOPARD AT LARGE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 284, 26 July 1932, Page 3

LEOPARD AT LARGE

ESCAPE FROM ZOO CAUSES EXCITEMENT IN CAPE TOWN. A PERILOUS POSITION. / The story _ of the recaptpre of a leopard which 'escaped frpm his cage at the Cape Town zoo is' told by Mrs. Ada M. Wheeler, in letter to Country Life. She writes: — „ "We had missed one of the turkeys and went in search of it. There was a branch of an oak tree lying about 500 yards away from our cottage. My husband lifted it and I peeped under. Out sprang Jock, the leopard, who must have escaped from his cage, brushing me. We were both unarmed, which' made the position extramely p-erilous, for if we lost sight of Jock he might get himself into mischief. "Jock meant to keep alive at all costs. Fiercely he bared his teeth, his eyes gfeaming like coals of fire, fescinating yet repelling. He knew my husband usually carried a gun, and, expecting extermination, he bounded down toward the cages. There, seeing a large drainpipe in a corner, he crept into it. Swiftly my husband packed each end with stones, leaving airh'oles. Nothng more could he done till nightfall. "The leopard was not hungry, having gorged himself with turkey. I sat keeping guard over him, anon whispering endearments, telling him no one would harm him. Then actually slept. Indeed, I felt much pity for this beautiful creature, soon to be recaged. They came at night, and, holding a light at one end, they forced him to retreat backward info a box, when he was later recaged. "We felt the strain of course,'but we could never understand how Jock managed to press his head through those strong iron bars and escape. And his mate slept peacefully all the time."