Georoc <Bort>on Gumming 285 



but the brute did not take any notice of him. The 

 Bushman had a narrow escape ; he was not altogether 

 scatheless, the lion having inflicted two gashes in his 

 seat with his claws. 



The next morning, just as the day began to dawn, 

 we heard the lion dragging something up the river-side, 

 under cover of the bank. We drove the cattle out of the 

 kraal, and then proceeded to inspect the scene of the 

 night's awful tragedy." 



That " something " was the mangled carcass of 

 Hendrick. By fragments of flesh and clothing they 

 tracked the lion till they came up with him, and Gordon 

 Gumming had the supreme satisfaction of sending a bullet 

 through the heart of the man-eater. 



I think that the comments with which Gordon 

 Gumming winds up his experiences of lion-slaying are 

 too delicious to be omitted. I do not know which to 

 admire the more in them the hidden egotism or the 

 unconscious humour. Here they are, and I leave the 

 reader to take them as he pleases : 



" I may remark that lion hunting, under any circum- 

 stances, is decidedly a dangerous pursuit. It may, 

 nevertheless, be followed, to a certain extent, with com- 

 parative safety by those who have naturally a turn for 

 that sort of thing. A recklessness of death, perfect 

 coolness and self-possession, an acquaintance with the 

 disposition and manners of lions, and a tolerable know- 

 ledge of the use of the rifle, are indispensable to him 

 who would shine in the overpoweringly exciting pastime 

 of hunting this justly celebrated king of beasts." 



From which the reader will perceive how simple are 



