268 After Big Game in Central Africa 



By chaiice they emerge from the river-bed, hidden 

 by the ant-hill, and one of us in leaning forward to 

 see them makes some dry grass crackle under his 

 feet. This noise, which it is imprudent to make so 

 near lions, makes them start, and one of them, 

 puzzled by it, conies out to our right, barely ten 

 yards away, but, alas ! at a trot. Instead of aiming 

 at the neck, I fire at the shoulder-blades. Upon 

 receiving my shot, the animal, which has passed 

 without seeing us, prepares to charge, raises its 

 tail, and springs forward with open mouth and 

 raised claws. There being no smoke, and as we 

 remain perfectly still, we do not betray our presence. 

 Then, turning to the right, it disappears. 



I have already reloaded, and my eyes are on the 

 look-out for its companion, which we have not yet 

 seen. We have not long to wait there it is ! It 

 also comes out on our right, a little farther away, 

 about twenty yards. Doubtless puzzled by the rifle- 

 shot and its companion's deviation, it advances at a 

 walk, looking in front of it and stopping, presenting 

 to my rifle the finest mark which I have ever had. 

 Never has lion seemed to me to be so big. I aim at 

 the neck, counting the throbs of my heart, and . . . 

 fire. It seems to me to fall like a lump of lead 

 . . . but it has disappeared in the tall grass, and I 

 cannot give a decisive opinion. . . . We climb on to 

 the ant-hill, but nothing is to be seen. . . . Finally 

 Kambombe informs us from a tree that the lion is 

 lying over there as though dead. After throwing a 

 few pieces of wood at it to make sure, we approach, 



