302 LARGE GAME. chap. vi. 



yards of, and were noticed by, them, upon which they 

 both crouched down and faced us. 



I was in front, and shouted out to the nearest hunter, 

 " Will they charge ?" but at the sound of my voice they 

 both sprang up and made off, and I fired right and left at 

 the largest, striking it with the first shot, and bringing it 

 to a standstill just outside the cover into which its com- 

 panion had disappeared. The two hunters instantly ran, 

 one on each side, to try and cut the latter off, while my 

 plucky gun-bearer wavered, turned back, and then, in 

 spite of my shouting, ran frantically after, but a long way 

 behind, one of the hunters, leaving me alone to finish off 

 the wounded brute. Had I then known as much as I do 

 now about them I should have walked straight up and 

 shot it, but accounting it a leopard (ingwe), and knowing 

 well how dangerous they are, I did not care to do so in 

 such an open spot, where, if it charged, my life would 

 depend upon my two shots ; so, keeping my eye on it, I 

 started across for the cover near which it was, and there 

 disappearing, I stalked up to the part nearest to it, and 

 fired when about fifteen yards off. My bullet brought it on 

 to its legs again, and it blundered forward at right angles 

 to me, so that I could place another behind the shoulder, 

 this time inflicting a mortal wound, though as it still 

 breathed I walked up close and finished it oft'. It was a 

 male ; its tawny, dirty, skin with its faint irregular spots 

 and the peculiar mane have been already described ; 

 otherwise, its limbs were large, and showed more power 

 than activity, and in size, as well as somewhat in general 

 appearance, it resembled a three-parts-grown lioness. 

 The other one escaped. 



