i62 Men, Mines, and Animals in South Africa. 



will turn away from such a troop of lions as we 

 had before us. AVe moved on after them a short 

 distance to where the bush Avas more open, the 

 lions trotting along ahead of us in the most com- 

 posed and leisurely fashion, \evy different from 

 the galloping off of a surprised and startled ante- 

 lope. Lee now dismounted and tired at a lion 

 about iift\- yards off. I saw the brute fall 

 forward on his head, twist round and round, and 

 stagger into a patcli of high grass slightly to the 

 left of where I was riding. I did not venture to 

 dismount with such a lot of these l^rutes all around 

 ahead of me, not feeling at all sure that I should 

 be able to remount quickly enough and gallop 

 away after shooting. Aly horse, untrained to the 

 ofun, would not alloAv me to tire from his back, 

 and would probably have thrown nie oft' had I 

 done so. I stuck close to Lee, determined to 

 leave the shooting to him unless things became 

 critical, as his aim was true. I counted seven 

 lions ; Lee says there were more. I saw, and 

 cried out to Lee, jDointing him to a great big 

 fellow with a heavy black mane trotting along 

 slightly ahead of the rest. He was just crossing 

 a small spruit about 100 yards ahead, and as he 

 climbed the opposite bank oft'ered his hind-quarters 

 as a fair target. Lee tired at him, at which he 

 quickened his pace and disappeared in i'ront. AVc 

 approached the spruit, and, almost literally under 

 my nose, I saw three lions tumble up out of it, climb 

 the opposite side, and disaj^pear. Xow I own I 

 longed for my shooting pony Charlie, for they 



