266 THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO CHAP. 
then made one or two attempts to get up but failed. 
I then ran up to within a few yards of him, and— 
helpless as he was with a bullet through both 
shoulders—he was still game, and twisted round so 
as to face me, giving vent all the time to savage 
growls. A final shot laid him out, however, and 
we at once proceeded to skin him. While we were 
busy doing this, one of the Wa Kamba suddenly 
drew my attention to the fact that we were actually 
being stalked at that very moment by two other 
lions, who eventually approached to within five hun- 
dred yards’ distance and then lay down to watch us 
skinning their dead brother, their big shaggy heads 
rising every now and again above the grass to give 
us a prolonged stare. At the time I little knew 
what a stirring adventure was in store for me next 
day while in pursuit of these same brutes. 
It was almost dark when the skinning process 
was finished, so without delay we started on our way 
back to camp, which was about seven miles off. The 
lioness I thought I should leave to be skinned the 
next day ; but the men I sent out to do the job on 
the morrow were unable to find any trace of her— 
they probably missed the place where she lay, for I 
am sure that I killed her. It was a good two hours 
after night had fallen before we got anywhere near 
the railway, and the last few miles I was obliged to 
do by the guidance of the stars. Tramping over 
