of the Old World. 357 



claws. His eye-balls glistened with rage, his mane 

 stood erect, his tail lashed his flanks, and I felt 

 he was watching my every movement, and that 

 further delay was dangerous. I therefore quietly 

 cocked my second gun, laid it by my side on 

 the ground, and then gave a loud shout, at the 

 same time flinging my pith hunting-cap towards 

 him. This had the desired effect; he sprung upon 

 his feet, and at this moment looked grand beyond 

 conception. Now was the moment : I threw up my 

 rifle; took deliberate aim at his broad and massive 

 breast, and let fly. I heard the soft "thud" of the 

 ball as it entered his chest, saw him spring high into 

 the air, and fall upon his back. I rushed up to give 

 him a coup de grace, but it was not needed ; a con- 

 vulsive tremor passed over his sturdy limbs, blood 

 gushed from his nose and mouth, the under-jaw 

 dropped, and my first lion was dead. He was a 

 noble animal, measuring over eleven feet from the tip 

 of his nose to the end of the tail. The lioness and 

 cubs, on hearing the shot, made for a small copse 

 about a mile distant ; and, as it was too late in the day 



to pursue them, after S had caught my horse we 



skinned the lion, cut off his head as a trophy, packed 

 them behind Kleine's saddle, and made the best of our 

 way back home, where we arrived late in the evening. 

 After my yarn, songs passed round until a late 

 hour, and as my old hunting-chaunts had begun to be 



