MILITARY AD VENTURES. 51 



casion ; so I found myself with only two 

 barrels in the immediate presence of this 

 noted man-eater. I knew if I turned tail, 

 which I had every inclination to do, I could 

 not have gone two yards before he would 

 have been upon me, so my only chance was 

 to show a bold front, and I firmly believe 

 that was the only thing that saved me. I 

 stared hard at where the horrid roars came 

 from, with both barrels cocked, and my 

 finger on the trigger, but all was still as 

 death, and I fancied I heard my heart 

 beating ; this silence seemed interminable, 

 and I felt I must go mad if it lasted much 

 longer. In a few seconds I saw the tall 

 reeds quiver slightly in a hollow just in 

 front of me, and I need not say that I 

 gazed on them as if my life depended 

 upon it, which it certainly did, for in 

 another second I spied my mortal enemy 



