CHAP. XXII. 
A LION-HUNT. 
219 
dismount, turn their horses to the right-about and tie 
them together; then fire a shot, and the lion would at 
once come to the attack and spring upon the horses, and 
while in that position and engaged on the horses they 
would shoot him. I knew that I had five or six staunch 
Englishmen with me, so we dismounted and advanced 
about ten yards nearer, then, by dint of threat and 
harangue, having got the Dutchmen into line, the dogs 
being still rather in advance of ns, but a little to the 
right, and barking at the spot where we knew the lion to 
be. At this moment I directed a youth near me to fire 
a shot into the long grass, where we could see the great 
monster’s tail lashiug the air, and hear her roaring like 
thunder. The young fellow did so, and it is well for 
us that the lion’s first rage was vented on the dogs and 
not on us. As the shot struck over and passed into 
the ground far beyond, the lioness rushed like light¬ 
ning, not upon us, but at the dogs, and with one 
in her mouth ran back at the same speed into her lair. 
I saw that the Dutchmen were right, and it was indeed 
6 gevaarlyk,’ for had the lion come out at the same 
speed at us, some or one at least of us would have been 
made mincemeat of. I never saw anything so quick. 
Her back was scarcely visible above the grass, her tail 
lashing the air, and really there was scarcely time to 
pull trigger before she was back again into her lair. 
I looked round me and saw my English friends 
