410 
AFRICAN HUNTING. 
to my great joy, as the chances were about three to 
one in favour of a lion making a meal of him. 
By-the-by, I shot a very fine old manikin lion, but 
having no arsenical soap was unable to preserve the 
skin, and the claws and skull are all that I have got 
as a trophy. I was alone watching the water when 
he came, and I killed him dead within fourteen 
yards. Three buffaloes, one white rhinoceros bull, 
one quagga, a lion, and an elephant, fell to my rifle 
that night, my best night’s shooting. My bullets 
were reduced to five, and, not having an idea when 
or where I was likely to find my wagon or horse, 
and being entirely alone, I was in no enviable posi¬ 
tion, and had some fear of hunger before my eyes ; 
but I succeeded in bagging two buffaloes and one 
quagga, and had still two bullets left when the horse 
made his appearance. The wagon came the fol¬ 
lowing morning, and I enjoyed the luxury of a cup 
of tea, and a little boiled maccaroni. Poison’s wagon 
accompanied mine, and I took leave of him yester¬ 
day, our roads lying in opposite directions: he goes 
by Walvish Bay to the Cape, and has some desperate 
hard work before him, as his wagon has not less 
than 4,000 lbs., and his oxen are young, light, lean, 
and weak. He will take at least four good months 
to reach Walvish Bay, if he accomplish it in that 
time. 
A sick ox and horse are waiting to be doctored; 
the latter I hope may pull through, but the former 
I must leave behind, I fear. I shall wait at Nanta, 
