LION AND DOGS. 
139 
shot; but looking round for my after-rider, who 
carried my rifle, I beheld him slowly approaching 
with pallid countenance at least a hundred yards 
behind. The lion faced about, and springing on 
Shepherd, one of my favourite dogs, he lay for 
several seconds upon him, and having bitten him so 
that he could not rise, he continued his course. A 
few moments after he knocked over another dog 9 
called Virgin, which escaped with a slight scratch. 
The lion, had now gained the edge of a small cover, 
and Booi, coming up at a very easy-pace, handed 
me my rifle. In another minute the noble beast 
came to bay in a thick bush, and, facing round, lay 
down to await our attack. I then rode up to within 
twelve yards of him, and halting my horse, I ended 
the grim lion’s career with a single ball behind the 
shoulder, cutting the main arteries close to the 
heart. On receiving the ball his head dropped to 
the ground, and gasping for a moment, he expired. 
I dismounted, and, plucking a lock of hair from his 
mane, I placed it in my bosom and returned to 
camp, having been absent barely ten minutes. 
t£ After breakfast a party went to inspect the lion, 
and bring home his trophies. On proceeding to 
seek for Shepherd, the dog which the lion had 
knocked over in the chase, I found him with his 
back broken and his bowels protruding from a gash 
in the stomach; I was therefore obliged to end his 
miseries with a ball.” 
Again, and after saying that information had been 
brought him by one of his people that, a lion had 
been seen in the neighbourhood of his bivouack, 
