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Aleister Crowley Diary Entry Monday, 3 February 1902
Did nothing but read [Henrik] Ibsen and Pater.
Edward Thornton kills leopard.
The next day I summoned enough energy to go for a stroll. I was very anxious to show Thornton [Edward Thornton] a beautiful view of hill-side and river, which I had come across on my way home. We set out, he being armed with a sketch book and kukri, which he would always carry about with him, though I could never understand the reason; if he had been anticipating the day's events, I should not have troubled to enquire. At the edge of the hill weariness overtook me; I sat down, pointing to him a tiny path down the hill slope which he was to pursue. He was rather a long time returning, and I was just about to follow in search, when I heard his cooley; in a couple of minutes he rejoined me. I was rather surprised to see that his kukri was covered with blood. I said "I knew you would fall over something one day. Where have you cut yourself?" He explained that he had not cut himself, but that an animal had tried to dispute the path with him, and that he had hit it on the head, whereon the animal had rolled down the steep slopes toward the river. I could not make out from his description what kind of animal it could possibly be, but, on examining the tracks, I saw them to be those of a nearly full-grown leopard. We did not retrieve the body, though it must have been mortally wounded, otherwise Thornton would hardly have escaped so easily.
The headman had returned, and told us that he could not give us coolies to cross the Arakan Hills. No-body had ever been there, and it was very dangerous, and everyone who went there died, and all that sort of thing. But he could give us men to go about twenty miles, and no doubt we should be able to get more coolies there. I thought there was more than a little doubt; and, taking one thing with another, decided it would be best to give up the idea and go instead back to the Ir-rawaddy and down the Mindon Chong; we consequently hired a boat of the dug-out type, about 35 feet long and just broad enough for two men to pass; over the middle of the boat was the usual awning.
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