228 A WOUNDED LIONESS ESCAPES.

Colvin had kept awake at his post from eight o'clock until after three, and had neither heard nor seen anything. At last sleep overcame him, and for a few moments he dozed; of course, a lion seized that opportunity to make his appearance.

George, who was with him, saw the animal, and quickly woke Colvin, who fired just as an immense lion sprang on the sheep. He must have missed him, as he disappeared into the jungle in a cloud of dust, dragging the sheep with him. He had pulled the stake to which it was tied, rope and all, out of the ground, and made off with his prey. Colvin heard him crunching the poor sheep's bones, as he leisurely devoured it, not many yards from where he lay. In less than ten minutes a lioness made her appearance, but did not approach very near. Colvin fired, and hit her. She made off, however, into the high grass which grew close by ; and he heard her there for some time moving about, and occasionally roaring. At daybreak he endeavoured to track her, but was not successful ; and nothing more was seen of her.

Lort Phillips did not even hear a lion. I heard one constantly ; but it was at the back of my zariba, and I saw nothing of it. The next day none of us went far from camp. My brother photographed some vultures that had been feasting on a carcase in the river's bed, and were enjoying a siesta in a huge baobab-tree. At night I lay out in the hope of obtaining a shot at a lion, but was disappointed. I heard one roaring once close to me ; and I was greatly excited, as at every instant I imagined he might pounce on my sheep, and was all readiness for a long time, with my rifle on my knees at full cock.

The wind was, however, unfortunately wrong, and the beast sneaked off. In the morning I saw his footprints quite close to my zariba, but concealed from where I lay by intervening bushes. In addition to the attraction of the sheep, I had