SPORT IN MOZAMBIQUE 



September 8th died. As I followed all the stages of 

 its malady very closely, in order to give an account 

 of it to the Pasteur Institute, I began, as soon as I 

 saw it was dead, to make, with my wife's help, a 

 post mortem examination before it had got cold. It 

 was two o'clock in the morning, and we had just about 

 finished when we heard a growl close by, followed by 

 several others. It was lions. My men, who were 

 seized with panic, got up and wanted to use their 

 rifles. I had the greatest difficulty in calming them. 

 There proved to be, about 200 yards away, two lions 

 who were quarrelling over the remains of an animal 

 they had killed. In order to avoid any foolhardiness 

 on the part of my men, I spent the rest of the night 

 in an armchair, listening with delight to the disputes 

 of the animals, which growled over each morsel they 

 chose. I awaited daybreak with some impatience. 

 So soon as it arrived I took with me two of my bravest 

 negroes and went in the direction where I thought 

 to find our night's guests. I had covered over 150 

 yards, when a splendid Hon with a tawny mane got up 

 from the grass. It regarded me with astonishment 

 for a minute, seeming to say : " What are you doing 

 here ? " Then it turned its huge muzzle aside and 

 made off with a springy step, presenting its side to 

 me. It was not forty yards away, but as it was rather 

 hazy, I preferred to fire at its shoulder. At the shot, 

 the lion writhed like a worm from head to tail, seemed 

 about to charge, then turned and disappeared in a 



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