344 feints of tbe 1Rot>, IRffle, anfc (Bun 



dead, which was a needless question, seeing that I 

 was at the time sitting up, rubbing my eyes. ' What's 

 the matter ? ' I said ; but at the same instant I heard 

 the dogs again baying fifty yards off, and recollection 

 came back. Rising to my feet, I staggered like a 

 drunken man, rather than walked towards the sound, 

 and propped myself up against a tree, for I was still 

 weak and dazed ; indistinctly I could occasionally see 

 both dogs and lioness. Presently something broke 

 through the thinner part of the bush, and I fired and 

 wounded one of the dogs. And the lioness, tired by 

 the protracted worrying, and startled, perhaps, by the 

 sound of the guns, bounded off and escaped without 

 a shot. We caught the horse four miles off, and I 

 sewed up and cured his wounds ; but he was never 

 fit for anything again, bolting dangerously at a stump 

 or other dark object." 



An even worse encounter, for the horse, at any rate, 

 was that which Oswell had with a buffalo. Here is his 

 own account of it : 



" Two days after leaving the camping ground, whilst 

 the waggons were moving slowly through the low bush, 

 three bulls crossed the line of march. I was on my 

 horse Superior, and with a shout to Murray that I 

 intended to make sure of the bag this time, galloped 

 after them, and singling one out, got alongside of him 

 within five feet and fired. He pitched upon his head 

 and lay perfectly still. Making sure he was dead, I 

 would not give him the second barrel, and turned the 

 horse to ride after the two others, which were still in 

 view ; but before I could get my animal into his stride, 



