41 8 A HUNTER'S WANDERINGS ch. 



an angry, put-out sort of look. As I fired, a loud 

 roar announced that the bullet had struck him, and I 

 could see that he was hard hit. He now sat on his 

 haunches like a dog, holding his head low, and 

 growling savagely. In this position he exposed his 

 chest, so hastily pushing in another cartridge, I jumped 

 to the ground before he could make up his mind what 

 to do, and firing quickly, struck him in the centre of 

 the breast, just under the chin. This rolled him over, 

 and riding up, I saw that he was in his last agonies, 

 so left him, and took a look at the first I had shot, a 

 magnificent old lion with a fine black mane, and a skin 

 in beautiful condition, and of a very dark colour all 

 over. All this, which has taken so long to relate, 

 must have occupied less than a minute of time, and 

 the lions being both dead, I again turned my attention 

 to the giraffes. The shots had startled them and 

 caused them to stop, so that whilst I was shooting the 

 lions, they had been standing still, and were now just 

 starting away at a slow canter. They, however, soon 

 pulled up, and stood looking back as I rode towards 

 them, picking my way through the treacherous turf. 

 At last I got up to them and gave the cow (they 

 were a cow and bull) three shots. I then galloped 

 past her, and rolling off as she came by, gave her a 

 fourth, broadside. This, however, did not stop her, 

 though she was now almost done for, and only went 

 on at a slow canter. 



I now wanted to turn her towards the dead lions, 

 and was just galloping round her when my horse 

 trod into a deep grass-covered hole, and came down 

 with me. I went over his head, and the rimpy 

 which I always have attached to my belt from the 

 bridle, broke. On regaining his legs Bob trotted off, 

 and would not let me catch him for a long time. At 



