TWO MARAUDERS. I 69 



wind, and thus become uneasy, was impossible, so I 

 put down the beast's restiveness to her suspicious 

 nature. Being desirous of making sure work, I 

 resolved to reduce the distance as much as possible 

 before shooting, so crawled in considerably over fifty 

 yards, accompanied alone by Sunday. An observa- 

 tion here informed me that the game had not 

 changed their ground, although still turning from 

 side to side as if to offer a front to an enemy. Over 

 twenty yards closer I crawled ; now or never, I 

 thought to myself, so raised myself to shoot. To 

 my surprise, in front of the rhinoceros I saw a 

 lioness ; ten paces scarcely separated the bellige- 

 rents, while at a short distance behind her ladyship 

 sat a very large mature lion watching the proceed- 

 ings of his wife, evidently prepared to assist her if 

 any emergency should arise to demand his aid. 



This was not a moment for deliberation ; prompt 

 action was demanded. The wounded animal was 

 far the most dangerous to us, so I resolved to kill 

 her first. Just as I was going to press the trigger, 

 the rhinoceros changed her position from broadside 

 to me, half-face to the right ; I consequently aimed 

 low down, and immediately behind the ribs ; with 

 the report my victim fell upon her knees, and im- 

 mediately afterwards rolled over on her side. The 

 lioness then joined her mate ; both looked surprised, 

 but did not evince any inclination to leave. I much 

 doubt that they knew what had produced the noise 



