The Lion 119 



made me think something must be in sight, and as soon 

 as I got back, the man next me said, ' There he is ! ' and 

 I caught sight of the lion standing under the shade of a 

 solitary tree outside of the jungle, with his head turned in 

 the direction of the beaters, evidently uncertain whether 

 to await them where he was, or to take to flight. At last, 

 doubtless considering that this was a different phase of the 

 human character from the one he was accustomed to meet 

 with during his midnight maraudings, he turned tail, and 

 coming towards us in long easy bounds, was soon within 

 a hundred yards of those concealed furthest down. Most 

 fortunately I had told them all not to show themselves on 

 any account before I did so myself, and so the brute, un- 

 suspicious of danger, made for a ford near to which the 

 hunter who had come down with me had stationed himself. 

 At sixty yards he fired and rolled the animal over like a 

 rabbit, it performing a complete somersault before it 

 regained its legs ; up the whole line jumped with a yell, 

 and the lion, which I had first 'fancied was killed, con- 

 tinued his course the same as before, only, perhaps, rather 

 stupefied by the shot, he abandoned the ford, and ran 

 parallel to the stream, taking no notice of the people, many 

 of whom shrank back as they saw him approaching their 

 part of the line. I began to cover him when he was still 

 two hundred yards off, and I think I kept the gun up too 

 long, for when I fired at half that distance I missed clean. 

 I made a better shot with my other barrel, rather too far 

 forward, but just catching the point of the shoulder, and 

 of course putting the limb Jiors de co7)ibat. The bnite 

 appeared to be as coivardly by daylight as lie zvas daring in 



