Diary. 57 



in the thick grass, so I fired quickly into the 

 middle of it, trusting to weight and lead rather 

 than accuracy, stepped hack clear of grass and 

 smoke (Jama going off about five paces to my 

 right) in case of a charge. There was much 

 growling and kicking, and a lioness broke to my 

 left. She crossed a bit of about ten yards of 

 open about twenty yards from me, and I fired 

 the left barrel and rolled her over growling. As 

 I was loading a big beast, looking as big as a 

 full-grown tiger, came from under the fig tree 

 and looked at us. Jama fired my express at it 

 and missed (standing shot ten yards), and it went 

 off towards the open where the other was. I 

 then got two cartridges in and gave her the 

 right barrel, and she instantly threw the most 

 perfect somersault, her tail looked to me to be 

 at least ten feet up in the air. This manoeuvre 

 brought her head my way, and she got on her 

 feet and came at me "hell for leather," making 

 much the noise a tiger makes, but not so loud ; 

 I think she was quicker in her gallop than a 

 tiger. I had one cartridge and my second gun 

 was nowhere, so I meant to let her come to the 

 muzzle nearly before I loosed. I put up the 



