242 THE HUNTER'S ARCADIA. 



temper we could see was none of the sweetest ; and 

 well it might be so, for his back was badly clawed 

 by lions. Of course the old bull had beaten his 

 enemies off, or he w r ould not have been where he 

 was, and but little the worse for the encounter, or 

 he would not have given us the trouble he did. 

 The aged warrior would not get out of our way, 

 on the other hand, showed a strong disposition to 

 attack us ; so, as the old fool was scarcely worth a 

 charge of powder and lead, we made a bend in our 

 course to avoid him. Another reason, possibly, for 

 adopting this plan was that none of us were armed, 

 except with assegais, if ' my lord ' be left out, and 

 his small-bore was scarcely the thing for killing such 

 heavy game ; well, when I say killing, I may be 

 wrong in that, but it would not drop it where it 

 stood. It was a long time before I could get this 

 white man to give up the idea of making the attempt 

 to shoot the beast ; but at length he consented to do 

 so, after a great waste of time and words, for he 

 was as obstinate as he was plucky. Even then I 

 should not have gained my point if I had not told 

 him that, if he did so, he must move his camp from 

 mine, for, as long as he was with me, I felt responsible 



