LION AND DOGS. 139 



shot ; but looking round for my after-rider, who 

 carried my rifle, I beheld him slowly approaching 

 with pallid countenance at least a hundred yards 

 behind. The lion faced about, and springing on 

 Shepherd, one of my favourite dogs, he lay for 

 several seconds upon him, and having bitten him so 

 that he could not rise, he continued his course. A 

 few moments after he knocked over another dog> 

 called Virgin, which escaped with a slight scratch. 

 The lion had now gained the edge of a small cover, 

 and Booi, coming up at a very easy pace, handed 

 me my rifle. In another minute the noble beast 

 came to bay in a thick bush, and, facing round, lay 

 down to await our attack. I then rode up to within 

 twelve yards of him, and halting my horse, I ended 

 the grim lion's career with a single ball behind the 

 shoulder, cutting the main arteries close to the 

 heart. On receiving the ball his head dropped to 

 the ground, and gasping for a moment, he expired. 

 I dismounted, and, plucking a lock of hair from his 

 mane, I placed it in my bosom and returned to 

 camp, having been absent barely ten minute's. 



" After breakfast a party went to inspect the lion, 

 and bring home his trophies. On proceeding to 

 seek for Shepherd, the dog which the lion had 

 knocked over in the chase, 1 found him with his 

 back broken and his bowels protruding from a gash 

 in the stomach; 1 was therefore obliged to end his 

 miseries with a ball." 



Again, and after saying that information had been 

 brought him by one of his people that a lion had 

 been seen in the neighbourhood of his bivouack, 



