MORE HUNTING STORIES. 21 



My shot hit him in the breast, and he fell forward on 

 his face, dead. They die very easily, and haye none of 

 that tenacity of life which most savage animals have. 

 In this they also resemble man. It proved to be a 

 middle-aged male, a fine specimen." 



Still another encounter, and another victory. The 

 animal had announced his presence by roaring. They 

 thought he was close at hand, but he proved farther 

 off than they imagined. They wandered nearly three- 

 quarters of an hour through the forest before they 

 reached him. As soon as he perceived the men he 

 came resolutely towards them, uttering a succession of 

 the short bark-like yells which denote his rage. 



" His manner of approach gave me once more an 

 opportunity to see with how much difficulty he supports 

 himself in the erect posture. His short and slender 

 legs are not able firmly to sustain the large body. 

 They totter beneath the weight, and the walk is a sort 

 of waddle, in which the long arms are used, in a clumsy 

 way, to balance the body and keep up the ill-sustained 

 equilibrium. Twice he sat down to roar, evidently not 

 trusting himself to this exertion while standing. 



" My gun was fresh loaded, and could be depended 

 upon, so I stood in advance. I waited, as the negro 

 rule is, till the huge beast was within six yards of me ; 

 then, as he once more stopped to roar, delivered my 

 fire, and brought him down on his face, dead. 



