98 
THE LION. 
pick out from the rest those of the wounded lion, I 
observed my native attendants suddenly rush for¬ 
ward, and the next instant the jungle re-echoed with 
shouts of triumph. Thinking they had discovered 
the lion we were in pursuit of, I also hurried for¬ 
ward ; but imagine my' surprise, on emerging into 
an opening in the jungle, when I saw, not a dead 
lion, as I expected, but five living lions (two males 
and three females), two of whom were in the act of 
pulling dowrn a splendid giraffe, the other three 
watching, close at hand, and with devouring looks, 
the deadly strife ! 
The scene was of so imposing a nature that, for 
the moment, I forgot I carried a gun. The natives, 
however, in anticipation of a glorious gorge, dashed 
madly forward, and, with the most piercing shrieks 
and yells, compelled the lions to beat a hasty 
retreat. 
When I reached the giraffe, now 7 stretched at full 
length on the sand, it made a few ineffectual 
attempts to raise its neck; its body heaved and 
quivered for a while, and then the poor animal was 
dead. It had received several deep gashes about 
the flaDks and chest, from the claws and teeth of 
its fierce assailants. The strong and tough muscles 
about the neck were also bitten through. 
All thoughts of pursuing the wounded lion were 
now out of the question. My natives remained 
gorging on the carcass of the cameleopard until it 
was devoured. A day or two afterwmrds, however, I 
had the good fortune to fall in with my royal anta¬ 
gonist, and finish him without much difficulty. 
