XIII FAIRLY BEATEN 281 



animals for dinner, as there were both wood and 

 water near at hand. Riding up towards them, I 

 proceeded to carry out my designs. With my first 

 shot I struck one too far back, and thinking to lose 

 him, I fired at another that was standing broad- 

 side on about 250 yards off. This one I hit fair in 

 the shoukier, and he fell dead after running but a 

 short distance. The one I had first wounded was now 

 standing with its head down and mouth open looking 

 very sick, so I rode towards it, thinking I should be 

 able to secure it as well. When 1 had approached 

 to within 150 yards of it, however, it looked up, and 

 then galloped away as if there was nothing the 

 matter with it. Piqued at such conduct in a beast 

 that I had thought completely in my power, I at 

 once gave chase, but the harder I galloped the faster 

 the wounded tsessebe ran, till at last, in mercy to my 

 horse, that I felt was getting very tired, I pulled in, 

 fairly beaten, and rode slowly back towards where I 

 had left the Kafirs at least three miles away. As I 

 was thus riding listlessly along through rather an 

 open country, dotted all over with patches of forest 

 and bush of a few acres in extent, I saw a lion 

 suddenly emerge from a thicket to my left and 

 canter across the open, about 150 yards in front 

 of me, towards another patch of bush. One glance 

 at his heavy form showed me that he was a very 

 large animal, with a fine flowing black mane. To 

 gather up the reins and, putting spurs to my tired 

 nag, gallop as hard as 1 could to cut him off from 

 the bush, was the work of a second. However, he 

 reached the bush, which was not far distant, about 

 sixty yards in front of me, but instead of entering it, 

 faced round and stood looking at me. As I had 

 undone the rimpy that I always have, running from 



