"Presently one of the natives spied a lion sitting on a piece of rock,
and fired at him, the ball missing the beast and striking the rock.
"The lion turned, bit like a dog at the spot where the bullet had
struck, and then bounded off to the shelter of the brushwood.
"Soon I saw another lion in much the same situation as the former, and,
being not more than thirty yards from it, let fly with both barrels.
"As the lion was still on its legs, I hastened to reload my gun; but
hearing a sudden and frightful cry from the natives, I looked up and
saw the wounded lion springing upon me.
"I was caught by the shoulder and hurled to the ground. Growling
terribly in my ear, the lion shook me as a dog does a rat.
"The shock produced a stupor, similar to that which seems to be felt by
a mouse after the first shake of a cat.
"The lion then leaped upon one of the natives who had tried to shoot at
him, and then sprang at the neck of a second native who, armed with a
spear, was rushing to the rescue.
[Illustration]
"The exertion was too much for the wounded beast, and so, with his claws
bedded in the spearman's shoulder, he rolled over and died.
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