92 BIG GAME SHOOTING 



sight of me I don't know, but a lion broke from the bottom 

 of the nullah, and scrambled up the opposite bank. It was 

 a longish shot, and I think I missed. In two or three 

 minutes, exactly at the spot the lion had gained the bank, 

 Vardon and his party appeared ; I ran through the hollow, and 

 telling him what had just happened, we put the Kafirs on the 

 trail and followed. We had not gone a hundred yards before 

 one of the men made signs to us to stop, and through the very 

 patch of bush in which we were standing the beast came head- 

 ing down again to the thickly-wooded ravine. He really was 

 not more than eight feet from us, but a dry bush was between. 

 I dropped on my knee, and when he was slightly in advance 

 fired. It is always better to let a. passingMan, get a trifle ahead 

 of you ; there is more chance of a kill, less of a charge. The 

 ball struck well behind the shoulder and went right through 

 him. He bounded on, dabbling the bush on either side with 

 blood, and then dear old Frank began to blow me up for firing 

 too quickly. In this instance, I really had not done so, but 

 he had not got his rifle off, not having a clean sight, or he was 

 desirous that the game should get clear of the partially covering 

 scrub. We never picked up this lion, for a wind arose in the 

 night and blurred the spoor, and he had not died in the long 

 grass, for we burnt it ; his loss was always scored against me. 

 Opinions are very various about lions. There is the young 

 lady's lion, a noble generous animal, that always kills his own 

 mutton, and refuses all butcher's meat ; and the young gentle- 

 man's, whose experience, perhaps, began at Wombwell's, and 

 ended at the Zoo. His is a cowardly, sneaking brute, a regular 

 cur. There must be lions and lions. Those I have met with 

 are not above eating what may be before them, asking no 

 questions for conscience sake ; but as a rule, if you will take 

 my advice, you will hold as straight as you can when you pit 

 yourself against a lion ; and if you accept all chances without 

 picking and choosing, you'll now and again find yourself in a 

 warm corner. Lions are not so plentiful as blackberries, or even 

 as buffalo, and perhaps it's better so. I do not think his rush is so 



