128 BIG GAME SHOOTING 
go back for ammunition. He may have been away two or 
three minutes, but it seemed a long time. When he returned 
the difficulty was to get what he had brought to me. There 
were two or three small trees on the spot. I was standing 
beside one of them, and he managed somehow to climb into it, 
and, leaning forward from a bough, to put the powder and 
balls into my hand, which I held behind me. I began 
very cautiously to load, by feeling not by sight, for I knew I 
must keep my eyes fixed. Fortunately the balls went home 
easily, though every little push I had to give with the ramrod 
brought a twitch and a growl from my neighbour. At last all 
was finished except putting on the caps, but this was the crux. 
Directly I raised the gun to fix them the lion began to show 
signs of waking up in earnest. It was a touchy operation, — 
and oh! the relief when it was done! The first shot rolled 
him over, and the second finished him. 
I had now time to look about me, and found the ground 
trampled by elephants into broad roads. Going back along 
the line of the stampede of the previous night, I met a poor 
little yearling calf elephant, torn badly by a lion, but still 
alive. I put it out of its misery. This was doubtless the 
cause of the last night’s scare. After a cup of coffee and a 
damper I started on the tracks. The herd was of cows, but I 
was induced to follow it, as to my surprise there were two 
or three bulls consorting with them—a most unusual circum- 
stance, for as a rule they herd apart like stags. But there 
could be no mistake—there were the great tell-tale feet. 
The line of retreat kept widening from the numerous small 
parties that had joined the main body till at length it was two 
hundred yards broad, and I and John cantered merrily along 
it over the flat for ten miles, when we entered a dense belt of = 
bush, into which we had not penetrated far when our progress 3 | 
was obstructed by a young bull with small tusks, who seemed 
inclined to make himself unpleasant. I didnot want himand | 
tried to drive him off, but he wouldn’t go, and at last charged 
down on our horses. This was too much, and I shot him. — 
SNS 
Hh ier Sa he F 
Le ee ae ee 
