A MAGNIFICENT LION SHOT, 97 



dying. I had now every reason to believe that he was 

 either dead or would die immediately, and if I did not 

 seek him till the morning I knew very well that the 

 hysenas and jackals. would destroy him. I according- 

 ly went up to camp, and, having saddled two horses, I 

 and Martin rode to seek him, taking all the dogs, led 

 in strings by the natives. On reaching the carcass of 

 the wildebeest we slipped the dogs, and they went off 

 after the hysenas and jackals : we listened in vain for 

 the deep growl of the lion, but I was persuaded that 

 he was dead, and rode forward to the spot where I had 

 last heard him growl. Lassie, now coming up, com- 

 menced barking at a bush in front of me, and, riding 

 round, I had the immense satisfaction to behold the 

 most magnificent old black-maned lion stretched out 

 before me. 



The ball had entered his belly a little before the 

 flank, and traversed the length and breadth of his body, 

 crippling him in the opposite shoulder. No description 

 could give a correct idea of the surpassing beauty of 

 this most majestic animal, as he lay still warm before 

 me. I lighted a fire and gazed with delight upon his 

 lovely mane, his massive arms, his sharp yellow nails, 

 his hard and terrible head, his immense and powerful 

 teeth, his perfect beauty and symmetry throughout ; 

 and I felt that I had won the noblest prize that this 

 wide world could yield to a sportsman. Having about 

 fifteen natives with me, I sent for rheims and the lech 

 ter-uit, and we bore the lion to camp. 



On my way from. the water to get the horses and 

 dogs, I shot an extremely old bull black rhinoceros 

 with a single ball : he dropped to the shot. His horns 

 were quite worn down and amalgamated, resemfeling 

 the. slump of an old oak-tree. 



