36 A PERILOUS POSITION. 



breathless anxiety. The gun had been 

 mechanically cocked and half raised to the 

 shoulder, but we were enveloped in such 

 pitchy darkness from the overhanging 

 branches, that I could see nothing. I verily 

 believe that neither I nor my companion 

 drew one single breath for the few moments 

 that, with finger on the tiigger, I strained my 

 eyeballs almost to bursting in endeavouring 

 to pierce the fearful blackness. There was 

 another deep snufi", which seemed to draw 

 the very air from around my face, and at 

 that moment I thought I could see some- 

 thing paler than the black space which an 

 instant before was there. There was no time 

 for hesitation, and closing the stock to my 

 shoulder, I fired. A stifled moan, and the 

 dropping of some heavy body, told that the 

 shot had taken eflect, but that it was not 

 fatal we were soon made awai'e by the 

 heavy breathing which followed. Fearful of 

 attracting the attention of the animal, I 

 remained motionless in the same position as 

 wlien I had fired, without attempting to 



