LEOPARD GOES TO A PARTY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23263, 4 February 1939, Page 9 (Supplement)

LEOPARD GOES TO A PARTY

Exciting Moments With Wild Animals

T ASTY beasts, leopards," I said Robert Wyndham in a recent talk from 0110 of the British Broadcasting studios. "You know I'd infinitely prefer meeting a tiger, tigress and all her cubs. You know more or less what to expect of a tiger. But a leopard—llo, sir—when he's feeling nice and replete he might follow you about all day, and then —you know—pop out at you behind a tree just when he thinks a meal would come in handy. And personally I've no desire to be the cause of a leopard's indigestion. "You know they're very susceptible to music—yes, really. On many occasions in Assam I've been sitting in a

bungalow, with a bit of a party—vou know, gramophones blaring and rich. And one of the party looked out and —there was Master Leopard, sitting out on the verandah, enraptured at the music. You know., sort of a listening of. "Well. I wouldn't know what sort of music they actually prefer, but they're definitely musical. Anyway, 011 this particular occasion, this leopard didn't content himself with staying outside on the verandah. No, inside there was a party going on—gramophones playing, soda corks popping, and a large number of people making a lot of noise. A Polished Floor "Anyway, under a chair in the front room there was a collie bitch with a new litter of pups—and collie pups are a leopard's favourite liors d'oeuyre, you see. Well, into this very well-lit room, full of people, party in full swing, jumps Master Leopard. Bad thing. "Luckily it was a polished floor—you know, slippery, and the leopard happened to land 011 a mat, coyamat, and of course the mat, with the groat thumping leopard coming down on top of it, went shooting off across the floor—jeopard dug his claws into it to

try to stop himself sliding, you see, and naturally found his claws got entangled in the mat. "That upset him badly, and he started rolling over and over on the floor, trying to rip the mat to pieces, and getting hopelessly tied up in the process. Well, I can tell you I've never seen a room cleared more miraculously quickly. Collie bitch and pups very naturally decided a different locale was desirable. And the other occupants, who were of a similar opinion, fled from the room. "I know. I was one of 'em. Don't think I've ever moved faster in my iife except in an aeroplane—and then only just. Anyhow, the owner of the bungalow had what I suppose is the unique experience of shooting that Jeopard indoors, in his own home. Well, there you are, but leopards are leopards. They're just animals after all. Uncanny Snakes "But when it comes to snakes—l don't know, there's something uncanny about snakes, something evil. T was in Shillong one time. I. had Tertian Malaria you see, and I'd been sent to Shillong for injections—large masses of quinine injections up and down the spine, and a great carbuncle comes up wherever the needle sticks you. 1 was in bed, terribly hot, and the punkah—you know, sort of fan-thing—swaying backwards and forwards up above, circulating the air. Gives you an illusion of coolth. ■

"1 was just recovering from fever, and sort of dozing off, when there was a nasty thud and a snake fell 011 to my cliost, wriggled a couple of times and remained there. Yes. they do that sometimes—they like the warmth, you see. All very nice for the snake, of course, but not so good for me. The idea of having that snake for a bed pal didn't agree with me at all. But what should 1 do?

"Quite obviously the snake was there for the night, and I'd 110 idea where his head was—and a snake strikes like lightning. And he would strike if 1 frightened him, even if I stirred, certainly if I leapt from under. "Well T lay there, in a cold sweat, until finally I simply couldn't stand it any longer, and I did leap from under. Only to discover that it wasn't a snake at all. It was the punkah rope that had broken and fallen on to my bed. That was an imaginary snake —but I went through all the sensations, you know, just as if it was a real one, Took ten years off my life."