300 AFRICAN NATURE NOTES CHAP. 



We had just passed the point of the tongue of 

 bush I have previously alluded to, when my boy 

 said in Dutch, " Daar's hij ; pass op ; hij zal ons 

 jagd " (" There he is ; look out ; he will chase us "), 

 and turning his horse's head, galloped away. I had 

 not yet seen the lion, but I soon made him out stand- 

 ing looking at me, with his head held low. He was 

 not more than eighty yards off, and I was just going 

 to dismount and have a shot at him, when out he 

 came with mouth held half open and ears laid back, 

 jerking out with every breath a rolling thunderous 

 growl. My horse knew the business well, and was 

 round and off with the promptitude and speed of a 

 well-trained polo pony, the lion close behind. 



I think he got up pretty near us with his first 

 furious rush, but then my horse got into his stride 

 and gradually drew away from him, and when he 

 had chased us for about 150 yards, he pulled up, 

 at the same time ceasing to growl. It was the 

 cessation of the roaring that let me know he had 

 given up the chase, and pulling my horse in, I 

 brought him round again as quickly as possible. 



The lion was then standing looking at me, and 

 as I approached he lowered his head, and at once 

 commenced to growl again, whisking his tail rapidly 

 from side to side without cessation. I knew he 

 would charge again in a moment, so gave him no 

 time to get his wind, but dismounting as quickly 

 as possible, raised my rifle and took a quick shot 

 for his open mouth. The bullet must have passed 

 just below or on one side of his lower jaw, as it 

 struck him in the chest, causing him to stand 

 straight up on his hind -legs, and fall over back- 

 wards. He recovered himself immediately, but 

 abandoning for the moment all thought of again 

 charging-, turned and trotted back towards the 

 shelter of the trees he had left a short time before. 



I was quickly in the saddle again and galloping 



