large lions, about twelve or fifteen hyænas,
and from twenty to thirty jackals, feasting on
and around the carcases of the three
rhinoceroses. The lions feasted peacefully, but the
hyaenas and jackals fought over every mouthful,
and chased one another round and round
the carcases, growling, laughing, screeching,
chattering, and howling without any
intermission. The hyænas did not seem afraid of
the lions, although they always gave way
before them; for I observed that they followed
them in the most disrespectful manner, and
stood laughing, one or two on either side, when
any lions came after their comrades to examine
pieces of skin or bones which they were
dragging away. I had lain watching this
banquet for about three hours, in the strong
hope that, when the lions had feasted, they
would come and drink. Two black and two
white rhinoceroses had made their appearance,
but, scared by the smell of the blood, they
had made off. At length the lions seemed
satisfied. They all walked about with their
heads up, and seemed to be thinking about
the water; and in two minutes one of them
turned his face towards me, and came on;
he was immediately followed by a second lion,
and in half a minute by the remaining four.
It was a decided and general move, they were
all coming to drink right bang in my face,
within fifteen yards of me."

The hunters were presently discovered.
"An old lioness, who seemed to take the lead,
had detected me, and, with her head high and
her eyes fixed full upon me, she was coming
slowly round the corner of the little vley to
cultivate further my acquaintance! This
unfortunate coincidence put a stop at once to all
further contemplation. I thought, in my
haste, that it was perhaps most prudent to
shoot this lioness, especially as none of the
others had noticed me. I accordingly moved
my arm and covered her; she saw me move
and halted, exposing a full broadside. I fired;
the ball entered one shoulder, and passed out
behind the other. She bounded forward with
repeated growls, and was followed by her five
comrades all enveloped in a cloud of dust;
nor did they stop until they had reached the
cover behind me, except one old gentleman,
who halted and looked back for a few seconds,
when I fired, but the ball went high. I
listened anxiously for some sound to denote
the approaching end of the lioness; nor
listened in vain. I heard her growling and
stationary, as if dying. In one minute her
comrades crossed the vley a little below me,
and made towards the rhinoceros. I then
slipped Wolf and Boxer on her scent, and,
following them into the cover, I found her
lying dead."

Mr. Cumming's adventures with elephants
are no less thrilling. He had selected for the
aim of his murderous rifle two huge female
elephants from a herd. "Two of the troop
had walked slowly past at about sixty yards,
and the one which I had selected was feeding
with two others on a thorny tree before me.
My hand was now as steady as the rock on
which it rested, so, taking a deliberate aim, I
let fly at her head, a little behind the eye.
She got it hard and sharp, just where I aimed,
but it did not seem to affect her much.
Uttering a loud cry, she wheeled about, when I
gave her the second ball, close behind the
shoulder. All the elephants uttered a strange
rumbling noise, and made off in a line to the
northward at a brisk ambling pace, their huge
fanlike ears flapping in the ratio of their
speed. I did not wait to load, but ran back
to the hillock to obtain a view. On gaining its
summit, the guides pointed out the elephants;
they were standing in a grove of shady trees,
but the wounded one was some distance
behind with another elephant, doubtless its
particular friend, who was endeavouring to
assist it. These elephants had probably never
before heard the report of a gun; and having
neither seen nor smelt me, they were unaware
of the presence of man, and did not seem
inclined to go any further. Presently my
men hove in sight, bringing the dogs; and
when these came up, I waited some time
before commencing the attack, that the dogs
and horses might recover their wind. We
then rode slowly towards the elephants, and
had advanced within two hundred yards of
them, when, the ground being open, they
observed us, and made off in an easterly
direction; but the wounded one immediately
dropped astern, and next moment she was
surrounded by the dogs, which, barking
angrily, seemed to engross her attention. Having
placed myself between her and the retreating
troop, I dismounted, to fire within forty yards
of her, in open ground. Colesberg was
extremely afraid of the elephants, and gave me
much trouble, jerking my arm when I tried
to fire. At length I let fly; but, on
endeavouring to regain my saddle, Colesberg
declined to allow me to mount; and when I
tried to lead him, and run for it, he only
backed towards the wounded elephant. At
this moment I heard another elephant close
behind; and on looking about I beheld the
'friend,' with uplifted trunk, charging down
upon me at top speed, shrilly trumpeting,
and following an old black pointer named
Schwart, that was perfectly deaf, and trotted
along before the enraged elephant quite
unaware of what was behind him. I felt certain
that she would have either me or my horse.
I, however, determined not to relinquish my
steed, but to hold on by the bridle. My men,
who of course kept at a safe distance, stood
aghast with their mouths open, and for a few
seconds my position was certainly not an
enviable one. Fortunately, however, the dogs
took off the attention of the elephants; and
just as they were upon me I managed to
spring into the saddle, where I was safe. As
I turned my back to mount, the elephants
were so very near, that I really expected to
feel one of their trunks lay hold of me. I rode