30 BIG GAME SHOOTING 



one, had previously savagely resented Selous' approach 

 by chasing him hard as he drew near, so that, 

 mounted as he was, he had some trouble to escape. 

 The four shots, as might have been expected from a 

 sightless rifle, went wide of the mark, and the black- 

 maned lion repeatedly and savagely chased its assail- 

 ants in the process. Finally, the two lions remained 

 absolutely masters of the situation, and the hunters 

 retired discomfited. 



When the lion means to make his charge he 

 usually elevates his tail stiffly in the air, and jerks it 

 rapidly once or twice from side to side. It is then 

 time to be ready with the rifle. Even when severely 

 wounded the beast will occasionally make good his 

 charge, and is never actually done with till dead or 

 absolutely disabled. Major H. G. C. Swayne, author 

 of Seventeen Trips through Somaliland, a sportsman 

 of great experience, was thus charged by a lioness 

 which had been wounded by his brother. The brute 

 knocked him over and mauled him very severely, 

 and his life was only saved by his brother approach- 

 ing, attracting a second charge, and finishing off the 

 animal within a few feet of his own person. 



A lion should never, if it can possibly be avoided, 

 be fired at head on. Such a shot is almost certain 

 to be useless, and the bullet will most probably 

 glance off or fail to penetrate the bony structure 

 surrounding the brain. As a rule, however, from 

 the animal's habit of glancing askance at and not 

 directly confronting the hunter, a side shot can 

 generally be obtained. It is advisable always to let a 



