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 



