74 LION-HUNTING [en. in 



saddle, as his sons, for instance, can ; and I had ah'eady 

 made up my mind that in the event of the hon's 

 charging it would be wise for me to trust to straight 

 powder rather than to try to scramble into the saddle 

 and get under way in time. The arrival of my two 

 companions settled matters. I was not sure of the 

 speed of Lady Pease's horse ; and Simba was on foot, 

 and it was, of course, out of the question for me to leave 

 him. So I said, " Good, Simba ! now we'll see this 

 thing through," and gentle-mannered Simba smiled a 

 shy appreciation of my tone, though he could not 

 understand the words. I was still unable to see the 

 lion when I knelt, but he was now standing up, look- 

 ing first at one group of horses and then at the other, 

 his tail lashing to and fro, his head held low, and his 

 lips dropped over his mouth in peculiar fashion, while 

 his harsh and savage growling rolled thunderously over 

 the plain. Seeing Simba and me on foot, he turned 

 toward us, his tail lashing quicker and quicker. Rest- 

 ing my elbow on Simba's bent shoulder, I took steady 

 aim and pressed the trigger. The bullet went in 

 between the neck and shoulder, and the lion fell over 

 on his side, one fore-leg in the air. He recovered in a 

 moment and stood up, evidently very sick, and once 

 more faced me, growling hoarsely. I think he was on 

 the eve of charging. I fired again at once, and this 

 bullet broke his back just behind the shoulders ; and 

 with the next I killed him outright, after we had 

 gathered round him. 



These were two good-sized maneless lions ; and very 

 proud of them I was. I think Sir Alfred was at least 

 as proud, especially because we had performed the feat 

 alone, without any professional hunters being present. 

 " We were all amateurs, only gentleman riders up," 



