180 ADVENTURES IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



to make loose the dogs. These walked suspiciously 

 forward on the spoor, and next minute began to spring 

 about, barking angrily, with all their hair bristling on 

 their backs: a crash upon the dry reeds immediately 

 followed — it was the lion bounding away. 



Several of the dogs were extremely afraid of him, 

 and kept rushing continually backward and springing 

 aloft to obtain a view. I now pressed forward and 

 urged them on ; old Argyll and Bles took up his spoor 

 in gallant style, and led on the other dogs. Then com- 

 menced a short but lively and glorious chase, whose 

 conclusion was the only small satisfaction that I could 

 obtain to answer for the horrors of the preceding even- 

 ing. The lion held up the river's bank for a short dis- 

 tance, and took away through some wait-a-bit thorn 

 cover, the best he could find, but nevertheless open. 

 Here, in two minutes, the dogs were up with him, and 

 he turned and stood at bay. As I approached, he stood, 

 his horrid head right to me, with open jaws growling 

 fiercely, his tail waving from side to side. 



On beholding him my blood boiled with rage. I wish- 

 ed that I could take him alive and torture him, and, 

 setting my teeth, I dashed my steed forward within 

 thirty yards of him and shouted, '•'•Your time is up, old 

 fellow." I halted my horse, and, placing my rille to 

 my shoulder, waited for a broadside. This the next 

 moment he exposed, when I sent a bullet through his 

 shoulder and dropped him on the spot. He rose, how- 

 ever, again, when I finished him with a second in the 

 breast. The Bakalahari now came up in wonder and 

 delight. I ordered John to cut off his head and fore- 

 paws and bring them to the wagons, and, mounting my 

 horse, galloped home, having been absent about fifteen 

 minutes. When the Bakalahari women heard that the 



