THE LION 37 



unique and altogether remarkable, that, especially as 

 I can vouch for the exact truth of every one of the facts, 

 I make no apology for telling it again. 



In August 1*903, Mr. Wolhuter, one of the Transvaal 

 Game Reserve rangers, was returning from a month's 

 patrol to the Olifants River, and had arrived within 

 two days' march of the Sabi. He had pushed on alone 

 ahead of his natives and pack donkeys in order to reach 

 the nearest police picket, if possible before night-fall. 

 However, darkness found him still some three miles 

 from his destination, riding along a path by the side of a 

 reed-bordered stream, accompanied only by his big dog 

 " Bull." As he rode through the dry bed of the spruit 

 where the path crossed it in one of its windings, he saw 

 something move out of the reeds and melt away into 

 the darkness ahead. A few yards further 'on the dog 

 rushed forward barking, and again an indistinct form 

 moved away. 



Supposing it to be a buck of some kind, Wolhuter 

 rode on without taking any special notice of the incident ; 

 but a few minutes afterwards he suddenly saw the shape 

 again, this time apparently approaching. He had scarcely 

 time to reflect that this was an odd action on the part 

 of a reedbuck, when he became aware that it was no 

 antelope, but a lion in the act of crouching for a spring. 

 Pulling his horse sharp to the left just as the lion rushed, 

 he caused the latter partially to miss his mark, but the 

 claws tore down the horse's quarters, and the terrified 

 animal, making a strenuous leap forward, shot Wolhuter 

 over its right shoulder straight into the jaws of a second 

 lion, which had been coming up from behind. Horse, 

 man and rifle all went in different directions. The 

 horse made off at full speed, followed by the first lion, 

 which in turn was pursued by the dog. The man said 



