THE FIRST LION 



buck until they should have sneaked within better 

 range. In the meantime I and the gunbearers sat 

 down in full view of the buck. This was to keep his 

 attention distracted. 



We sat there a long time. The buck never moved 

 but continued to stare at what evidently puzzled 

 him Time passes very slowly in such circumstances, 

 and it seemed incredible that the beast should 

 continue much longer to hold his fixed attitude. 

 Nevertheless B. and F. were working hard. We 

 caught glimpses of them occasionally slipping from 

 bush to bush. Finally B. knelt and levelled his 

 rifle. At once I turned my glasses on the buck. 

 Before the sound of the rifle had reached me, I saw 

 him start convulsively, then make off at the tearing 

 run that indicates a heart hit. A moment later the 

 crack of the rifle and the dull plunk of the hitting 

 bullet struck my ear. 



We tracked him fifty yards to where he lay dead. 

 He was a fine trophy, and we at once set the boys 

 to preparing it and taking the meat. In the mean- 

 time we sauntered down to look at the stream. It 

 was a small rapid affair, but in heavy papyrus, with 

 sparse trees, and occasional thickets, and dry hard 

 banks. The papyrus should make a good lurking 

 place for almost anything; but the few points of ac- 

 cess to the water failed to show many interesting 



