248 



A VERY UNPLEASANT MOMENT. 



turn or rather spring on one side and get the rifle to bear, 

 when I fell! I thought it was all over with me; but the big 

 brute passed clean over me, and, oh ! how thankful I felt 

 when I found I had got off with only a severe bruise on my 

 right leg just below the calf, probably from one of the feet 

 hitting me as it passed. We followed up the track but were 

 more cautious than before expecting every moment to be 

 charged, and after some time we heard the heavy breathing 



> v >! 



A'» ! i,^lP 





* ■> tit, 





again in the same kind of thick jungle. We crept round, or 

 rather I did, for it wanted some coaxing to get Atley to follow; 

 got on a fallen tree and looked cautiously in every direction, 

 but could see nothing, although still hearing the heavy sough- 

 ing of the beast. I crept on from tree to tree and had just 

 told Atley to send for the dog as I was determined to 

 have the brute if I waited till dark, when I suddenly spied 

 a bison's ear about twenty paces off cocked towards me. 



