ADVENTURES WITH LIONS. 587 



heed her hostile demonstrations, she quietly stretched out 

 her massive arms, and lay down on the grass. My Hottentots 

 now coming up, we all three dismounted, and, drawing our 

 rifles from their holsters, we looked to see if the powder was 

 up in the nipples, and put on our caps. While this was 

 doing the lioness sat up, and showed evident symptoms of 

 uneasiness. She looked first at us, and then behind her, as 

 if to see if the coast were clear ; after which she made a 

 short run towards us, uttering her deep-drawn, murderous 

 growls. Having secured the three horses to one another by 

 their rheims, we led them on as if we intended to pass her, 

 in the hope of obtaining a broadside. But this she carefully 

 avoided to expose, presenting only her full front. I had 

 given Stofolus my Moore rifle, with orders to shoot her if 

 she should spring upon me, but on no account to fire before 

 me. Kleinboy was to stand ready to hand me my Purdey 

 rifle, in case the two-grooved Dixon should not prove sufficient. 

 My men as yet had been steady, but they were in a precious 

 stew, their faces having assumed a ghastly paleness, and 

 I had a painful feeling that I could place no reliance on 

 them. 



Now, then, for it, neck or nothing ! She is within sixty 

 yards of us, and she keeps advancing. We turned the horses' 

 tails to her. I knelt on one side, and, taking a steady aim 

 at her breast, let fly. The ball cracked loudly on her tawny 

 hide, and crippled her in the shoulder, upon which she 

 charged with an appalling roar, and in the twinkling of an 

 eye she was in the midst of us. At this moment Stofolus's 

 rifle exploded in his hand, and Kleinboy, whom I had ordered 

 to stand ready by me, danced about like a duck in a gale 

 of wind. The lioness sprang upon Colesburg, and fearfully 

 lacerated his ribs and haunches with her horrid teeth and 

 claws ; the worst wound was on his haunch, which exhibited a 

 sickening, yawning gash, more than twelve inches long, almost 

 laying bare the very bone. I was very cool and steady, and 



I 



