238 



A Breath from the Veldt 



rise as Oom and the natives came running up. Another shot and we stood over 

 the splendid creature, which we could now examine at our leisure. It was 

 unhappily reduced to skin and bone, and from the scores and claw-marks in its 

 back it was easy to see what had happened to the poor beast. A lion had 

 evidently had hold of him recently, and after springing on his back had been 

 forced to relinquish his hold by the blows he himself had received. The claws 

 of the lion had drilled round holes in the skin, causing the flesh to fester beneath 

 the wounds, whilst the whole of the quarters had shrunk away to nothing, 

 probably owing to some big wounds on the haunches which had every appear- 

 ance of bites. The poor sable had come off victorious for the moment, but 

 he would no doubt have succumbed to his injuries in a few days, for he was 

 evidently too far gone to recover. 



The measurements are as follows — length over the curve, 41 inches ; 

 circumference, 9^ inches ; tip to tip, 1 2^ inches. 



A VULTURES BATHING- POOL, NUANETSI RIVER 



