THE LION IN SOUTH AFRICA 337 
tracks of the ox. The ox was ultimately killed by having his 
neck broken, and lay with his head doubled in under him, there 
being no mark of a wound upon him but the claw marks on 
the muzzle and shoulder. Except that one ear had been bitten 
off, the carcase was untouched, the lion having been scared 
away by John’s bullets, which must have whizzed unpleasantly 
near him, and caused him to beat a hasty retreat. 
As soon as it was fairly light I saddled my horse, and. 
Se, 
* Springing upon his victim’ 
John and I took up the spoor, which led us down to the little 
river Simbo, a small stream, about three hundred yards from 
my waggon, which runs into the Umfuli River, just below 
Hartley Hills. For about a mile beyond the Simbo we were 
able to follow without difficulty the tracks of what was evidently 
- a large male lion, a3 the ground was low-lying and soft from 
" the recent heavy rains ; but after this the spoor got into soil 
_ of a different nature, thickly covered with short grass, where 
I. o Zz 
