m
below.

After this I again kept as still as I could, though absolutely
trembling with excitement; and in a short while I heard the lion begin
to creep stealthily towards me. I could barely make out his form as he
crouched among the whitish undergrowth; but I saw enough for my
purpose, and before he could come any nearer, I took careful aim and
pulled the trigger. The sound of the shot was at once followed by a
most terrific roar, and then I could hear him leaping about in all
directions. I was no longer able to see him, however, as his first
bound had taken him into the thick bush; but to make assurance doubly
sure, I kept blazing away in the direction in which I heard him
plunging about. At length came a series of mighty groans, gradually
subsiding into deep sighs, and finally ceasing altogether; and I felt
convinced that one of the "devils" who had so long harried us would
trouble us no more.

As soon as I ceased firing, a tumult of inquiring voices was borne
across the dark jungle from the men in camp about a quarter of a mile
away. I shouted back that I was safe and sound, and that one of the
lions was dead: whereupon such a mighty cheer went up from all the
camps as must have astonished the denizens of the jungle for miles
around. Shortly I saw scores of lights twinkling through the bushes:
every man in camp turned out, and with tom-toms beating and horns
blowing came running to the scene. They surrounded my eyrie, and to my
amazement prostrated themselves on the ground before me, saluting me
with cries of "Mabarak! Mabarak!" which I believe means "blessed one"
or "saviour." All the same, I refused to allow any search to be made
that night for the body of the lion, in case his companion might be
close by; besides, it was possible that he might be still alive, and
capable of making a last spring. Accordingly we all returned in triumph
to the camp, where great rejoicings were kept up for the remainder of
the night, the Swahili and other African natives celebrating the
occasion by an especially wild and savage dance.

For my part, I anxiously awaited the dawn; and even before it was
thoroughly light I was on my way to the eventful spot, as I could not
completely persuade myself that even yet the "devil" might not have
eluded me in some uncanny and mysterious way. Happily my fears proved
groundless, and I was relieved to find that my luck--after playing me
so many exasperating tricks--had really turned at last. I