VICTORIA NYANZA 133 



thirty feet away, standing over a young zebra which 

 he had just killed. Quietly I told Mona that a large 

 Hon was waiting to be shot, but she couldn't see him, 

 the fact being that he was so close she was looking 

 beyond the Hon, never expecting to get that near with- 

 out knowing about it. Mike had to point the rifle 

 at liis head before Mona sighted liim. Now she banged 

 away, but was so close she overshot. Up he sprang 

 and ran diagonally toward a thorn tliicket. Somehow 

 she managed to throw in another shell and fire. I heard 

 the 220-grain mushroom bullet thump as it struck 

 the running Hon in the shoulder. As he tumbled he 

 gave a roar that shook the atmosphere. Now the 

 old question arose: "Was he dead or not.^" Some 

 httle time was spent in shouting and throwing 

 stones into the bush trying to get an answer from 

 him, but without result. Mike and I both pro- 

 nounced him dead, but the black boys said no. As it 

 was much better to be on the safe side, especially with 

 a lady along, we were very cautious. While making a 

 large circle around the spot, I got a good whiff of lion 

 smell, and by following up the wind we found him 

 dead. Her first shot was a clean miss, but the second 

 had broken the right shoulder and then penetrated 

 into the heart. He proved to be an exceptionally large 

 Hon and was certainly a grand prize for Mona. 



While returning to camp we noticed a Grant's gazelle 

 standing transfixed, and following his gaze, discovered 

 a cheetah crouched beneath a thorn tree. During this 

 one morning the antelopes and vultures had pointed 

 out to us three beasts of prey; one had made its lull, 

 while the other two urged by hunger, were on the hunt, 

 for such is nature's decree here on the primal veldt. 



