210 TIFL1S. 



deafened me with their hideous din, and resolutely 

 baffled all iny attempts to break through their circle. 

 Picking up some stones, I tried to free myself in 

 that way from my tormentors, without any result, 

 until a larger stone than the rest caught one of their 

 number on the leg, and set him howling lustily. 



Then the shepherds, who up till that moment 

 had been enjoying the baiting of a stranger from 

 the far distance, utterly careless of what might 

 happen to the victim, set up a shout, and leaving 

 their flock, one of them came towards the scene of 

 action. The shepherds' shout acted in the most 

 inspiriting way on the attacking forces, which at 

 once closed in on me, one brute flying straight at 

 my throat, and meeting my rifle barrel full in his 

 teeth, while another wilier cur, taking me in rear, 

 made his teeth meet in one of the tendons behind 

 my knee. This was more than flesh and blood could 

 stand, so rather than be actually worried to death, 

 1 pulled out my revolver and let drive into two of 

 my assailants ; the brute who had bitten me from 

 behind getting the first bullet. This sent the 

 whole pack flying for the moment ; so seizing the 

 opportunity before they had time to rally again, I 

 made for the shepherd, and being extremely savage 

 collared him somewhat roughly, and gave him to 

 understand that unless he called his brutes off and 

 kept them off as long as I was within rifle-shot, I 

 would put the next bullet into him. After a good 



