ADVENTURE WITH A LION. 
425 
tremendous roar, and Ferns whipt round like a top, 
and away at full speed. My horse is a fast one, and has 
run down the gemsbok, one of the fleetest antelopes, 
but the way the lion ran him in was terrific. In an 
instant I was at my best pace, leaning forward, 
rowels deep into my horse’s flanks, looking back over 
my left shoulder, over a hard flat excellent galloping 
ground. On came the lion, two strides to my one. 
I never saw anything like it, and never want to do so 
again ; to turn in the saddle and shoot darted across 
my mind, when he was within three strides of me, 
but on second thoughts I gave a violent jerk on the 
near rein, and a savage dig at the same time with 
the off heel, armed with a desperate rowel, just in 
the nick of time, as the old manikin bounded by me, 
grazing my right shoulder with his, and all but 
unhorsing me, but I managed to right myself by 
clinging to the near stirrup-leather. He immediately 
slackened his speed ; as soon as I could pull up, 
which was not all at once, as Ferus had his mettle up, 
I jumped off, and made a very pretty and praise¬ 
worthy shot, considering the fierce ordeal I had just 
passed (though I say it who ought not), breaking his 
hind leg at 150 yards off, just at the edge of the 
thicket. Fearful of losing him, as the Masaras were 
still flying for bare life over the velt, with their 
shields over their heads, and I knew nothing would 
prevail on them to take his spoor again, I was 
in the saddle, and chasing him like mad in an 
instant. His broken leg gave me great confidence, 
