Forest and Frontiers | Page 6

the lioness had
observed us. Raising her full, round face, she overhauled us for a few

seconds, and then set off at a smart canter toward a range of mountains
some miles to the northward; the whole troop of jackals also started off
in another direction; there was, therefore, no time to think of caps.
The first move was to bring her to bay, and not a second was to be lost.
Spurring my good and lively steed, and shouting to my men to follow, I
flew across the plain, and, being fortunately mounted on Colesberg, the
flower of my stud, I gained upon her at every stride. This was to me a
joyful moment, and I at once made up my mind that she or I must die.
The lioness having had a long start of me, we went over a considerable
extent of ground before I came up with her. She was a large, full-
grown beast, and the bare and level nature of the plain added to her
imposing appearance. Finding that I gained upon her, she reduced her
pace from a canter to a trot, carrying her tail stuck out behind her, and
slewed a little to one side. I shouted loudly to her to halt, as I wished to
speak with her, upon which she suddenly pulled up, and sat on her
haunches like a dog, with her back toward me, not even deigning to
look round. She then appeared to say to herself, "Does this fellow know
who he is after?"
Having thus sat for half a minute, as if involved in thought, she sprang
to her feet, and, facing about, stood looking at me for a few seconds,
moving her tail slowly from side to side, showing her teeth, and
growling fiercely. She next made a short run forward, making a loud,
rumbling noise like thunder. This she did to intimidate me; but finding
that I did not flinch an inch nor seem to heed her hostile demonstrations,
she quietly stretched out her massive arms, and lay down on the grass.
My Hottentots now coming up, we all three dismounted, and, drawing
our rifles from their holsters, we looked to see if the powder was up in
the nipples, and put on our caps, While this was doing the lioness sat up,
and showed evident symptoms of uneasiness. She looked first at us,
and then behind her, as if to see if the coast were clear; after wnich she
made a short run toward us, uttering her deep-drawn, murderous
growls.
Having secured the three horses to one another by their reins, we led
them on as if we intended to pass her, in the hope of obtaining a

broadside. But this she carefully avoided to expose, presenting only her
full front. I had given Stofolus my rifle, with orders to shoot her if she
should spring upon me, but on no account to fire before me. Kleinboy
was to stand ready to hand me my Purdey rifle, in case the two-grooved
Dixon should not prove sufficient. My men as yet had been steady, but
they were in a precious stew, their faces having assumed a ghastly
paleness, and I had a painful feeling that I could place no reliance on
them.
Now then for it, neck or nothing! She is within sixty yards of us, and
she keeps advancing. We turned the horses' tails to her. I knelt on one
side, and, taking aim at her breast, let fly. The ball cracked loudly on
her tawny hide, and crippled her in the shoulder, upon which she
charged with an appalling roar, and in the twinkling of an eye she was
in the midst of us, At this moment Stofolus's rifle exploded in his hand,
and Kleinboy, whom I had ordered to stand ready by me, danced about
like a duck in a gale of wind.
The lioness sprang upon Colesberg, and fearfully lacerated his ribs and
haunches with her horrid teeth and claws; the worst wound was on his
haunch, which exhibited a sickening, yawning gash, more than twelve
inches long, almost laying bare the very bone. I was very cool and
steady, and did not feel in the least degree nervous, having fortunately
great confidence in my own shooting; but I must confess, when the
whole affair was over, I felt that it was a very awful situation, and
attended with extreme peril, as I had no friend with me on whom I
could rely.
When the lioness sprang on Colesberg, I stood out from the horses,
ready with my second barrel for the first chance she should give of a
clear shot. This she quickly did; for, seemingly satisfied with the
revenge She had now taken, she quitted Colesberg, and slewing her tail