162 THE LION. 



ger, but in vain this time, as my ball went too high 

 in short, right over the object aimed at. The animal, 

 however, did not budge an inch, and I now saw 

 clearly a lion before me. Rising to my feet, I shouted 

 in order to drive him off; but he remained stationary. 

 I did not at all like his appearance, and hastened at 

 once back to my place of concealment to reload. 



When again quite ready, and on the look-out for 

 him, I found that both he and his companions were 

 gone. Almost immediately afterwards, however, 

 two lions, which I imagined to be the same, ap- 

 proached the water. Having drunk their fill they 

 were about to retrace their steps, when suddenly 

 (my person being purposely exposed to view), they 

 espied me, and after eyeing me for a few seconds, 

 one of them, the largest, made straight for my 

 "screen." This seemed strange; but to make 

 sure of his intentions. I shouted louldly when 

 the brute was within about forty yards of me. 

 To my utter surprise, he, instead of moving 

 off, came quickly on till at a distance of twenty- 

 five paces, or thereabouts, when he suddenly 

 couched, evidently preparing to spring on me. 

 Dropping the double-barrelled gun, which I held in 

 iny hand at the moment, I sei/ed the elephant rifle, 

 levelled, took a very steady aim at liis breast, 

 and fired. The bullet sped true, and I thought I 

 had killed him outright, as lie rolled over and over 

 on the ground several times; but not so, for, pre- 

 sently, he scrambled up and decamped. However, 

 J had no doubt in my own mind that the wound he 

 had received would prove fatal. On receiving the 



