A FIRST-RATE PRIZE. 
163 
shot, he gave a startling growl, and in making his 
escape was joined by his comrade, who, while the 
duel was pending, had remained a passive spectator* 
At daybreak we took up the spoor of the stricken 
animal, and had only proceeded about two hundred 
yards when the dogs gave tongue at a small brake, 
where, immediately afterwards, I saw a stately 
lion rise to his feet and limp forward two or three 
paces. But the exertion was too much for him ; he 
halted, and turning half round looked fiercely at his 
assailants. Not'being myself in a favourable posi¬ 
tion, I shouted to my men to fire. Kamapjee 
responded to the call, and the beast dropped to rise 
no more. 
In an instant the dogs were clinging to his ears, 
throat, head, &c. The brute, w r ho was still alive, 
grappled bravely with his assailants. Immediately 
afterwards, half-a-dozen assegais were quivering in 
his body, and a hundred more would soon have been 
similarly sheathed, had I not promptly ridden up and 
stopped the Bamaras, who were rushing in crowds, 
like so many maniacs, upon the prostrate foe. I 
wished the dogs to finish the beast and they did so ; 
but three of the best of them were wounded in the 
scuffle, though only one seriously. 
The lion, a male, proved a first-rate prize, in ex¬ 
cellent condition, and of giant proportions, but 
possessed of scarcely any mane. His head was very 
beautiful—a perfect picture. My aim on the pre¬ 
ceding night, we now found, had been most perfect 
The bullet had entered exactly the centre of his chest, 
and after traversing the entire length of his body, 
M 2 
