go BIG GAME SHOOTING 
me. Presently I was abreast of his animal, which was leaning, 
hard hit, against a tree. I gave it a widish berth, not wishing to 
finish Frank’s work, and pressed on after the others ; but, just 
as I passed, it made a plunge forward, and began to run again ; 
at the same instant the bush was streaked with yellow, and 
calling out, ‘Come along, there’s a lion!’ I put on a spurt to 
get first shot, carrying the gun at the trail, for one had to 
stoop often under the branches of the thorns. After going 
a hundred yards, I could distinctly hear the sharp snort of the 
buffalo, and muffled growl of its assailant, and knew that the 
latter had got hold. I still ran on, looking out for a sight 
of the combatants, when suddenly the man who had kept up 
with me put his hand on my wrist, and, pulling rather harder 
than he intended, stooping ferwards and running as I was; 
down I came over balanced. ‘What is it?’ I asked angrily. 
‘Look !’ he answered. Within twenty-five yards a magnificent 
fight was going on. ‘Two other male lions had joined the one I 
had first seen, and run blood-spoor till they had overtaken and 
stopped the buffalo. They were now all standing rampant on 
him, teeth and claws both at work, the gallant old bull doing 
his utmost to hold his. own against odds. He tried to gore 
them, but they hugged his side, putting their bodies parallel 
with his, and so escaping the thrust ; he swung the lion on 
his right completely off his legs, as you swing a child by his 
arms. It was only by glimpses that you saw anything, for it 
was an enfolding cloud of dust, out of which came every now 
and again the black hide of the bull and the fulvous coats of 
the lions. Every muscle of the attackers and attacked was on 
the stretch. You felt rather than saw the terrible strain. Had 
the buffalo been unwounded, even with the odds of three to 
one against him, he would have left his mark. It did not last 
much more than a minute—perhaps not even that—and then 
the grand, old ‘ Naari’ came to. the ground, killed by the ball, 
not by the lions. 
The one of these which had attacked on the right came 
round to his fellows, and they all three stood with their fore 
