90 After Big Game in Central Africa 



ber, considering that eighty men formed a circle of 

 50 yards, towards the centre of which they fired, 

 fortunately rather high, from all points of the cir- 

 cumference during a quarter of an hour. My men 

 are uninjured, or hardly injured at all, having 

 thrown themselves on their stomachs as soon as 

 the fusillade began. However, Tchigallo has had 

 his hair singed by a shot which was fired point 

 blank a few inches from his head, and Rodzani has 

 sustained a graze on his leg. 



As to the lion, he runs still, and we have not seen 

 a drop of blood on the track. Had he come up to 

 me I should have no more seen him than I saw 

 my neighbours : the smoke would have prevented me. 



Such are the advantages many, as you see of 

 a " battue " with natives armed with guns. I do not 

 mind risking my skin in a good cause ; but to be 

 killed foolishly by a stray bullet, to fall a victim 

 to the rifle of a native who makes a mistake, would 

 be too ridiculous. 



I have handled firearms continually, day and 

 night, without accident ever happening to me, a 

 fact which is owing to great precautions on my part 

 and to similar habits which I have taught those who 

 accompany me. I do not allow them to carry on 

 their shoulders a rifle with hammers at full-cock, 

 which would endanger the lives of those who follow, 

 and I require that a loaded rifle should be carried 

 always on the shoulder in the normal position that 

 is, with the butt in front. I cannot censure too much 

 the habit which natives have, and some Europeans 



