226 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



ing. Snatching up my two-grooved rifle, which at all 

 times hung loaded in my wagon, I at once ran forward 

 under cover of a convenient busliy tree which inter- 

 vened, and on gaining .this bush I was within seventy 

 yards of the lions. Here a forked branch afforded an 

 admirable rest. I placed my rifle in the fork, and, 

 taking the old lion low, I let fly, hitting him in the 

 shoulder ; the two then wheeled about, and, bounding 

 forward with angry growls, disappeared among the 

 trees. 



From the cool state I was in when I fired, and the 

 steady aim which the forked branch had afforded me, 

 I felt convinced that the lion, if not dead, must be 

 mortally wounded, but I prudently resolved not to pro- 

 ceed in quest of him alone. Presently some of my 

 men, who had gone to the carcass of a buffalo I had 

 slain the previous day, returned, bringing the dogs ; 

 and, having informed them of what had happened, I 

 proceeded to take up the spoor of the wounded lion. 

 On reaching the spot where the lions had stood, my 

 do";s at once commenced barking^ ans^rilv and lookins; 

 sharply around in every direction, their hair bristling 

 on their backs. I at once discovered blood, "which in- 

 creased as I proceeded from small red drops to large 

 frothy blotches ; and before advancing two hundred 

 yards, on approaching a dense green bush, my dogs, 

 which led the way, sprang suddenly to one side, bark- 

 ing with great vehemence. By this I knew that the 

 lion was dead, and, on cautiously rounding the bush, 

 taking care at the same time to give it a wide berth, I 

 had the satisfaction to behold a princely lion stretched 

 lifeless on the ground. He was in the prime of Ufe, 

 having fine sharp teeth ; and it being now the dead of 

 winter, he carried the most luxuriant coat of hair, the 



