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the red rays of the setting sun。 Behind us and before
stretched the vista of the sluggish river； ending in
glimpses of a reed…fringed lagoon； on the surface of
which the long lights of the evening played as the
faint breeze stirred the shadows。 To the west loomed
the huge red ball of the sinking sun； now vanishing
down the vapory horizon； and filling the great heaven；
high across whose arch the cranes and wild fowl
streamed in line； square； and triangle； with flashes
of flying gold and the lurid stain of blood。 And then
ourselvesthree modern Englishmen in a modern English
boatseeming to jar upon and looking out of tone with
that measureless desolation； and in front of us the
noble buck limned out upon a background of ruddy sky。
_i_ Bang！ _i_ Away he goes with a mighty bound。 Leo
has missed him。 _i_ Bang！ _i_ right under him again。
Now for a shot。 I must have one； though he is going
like an arrow； and a hundred yards away and more。 By
Jove！ over and over and over！ 〃Well； I think I've
wiped your eye there； Master Leo；〃 I say； struggling
against the ungenerous exultation that in such a
supreme moment of one's existence will rise in the
best…mannered sportsman's breast。
〃Confound you； yes；〃 growled Leo； and then； with that
quick smile that is one of his charms lighting up his
handsome face with a ray of light； 〃I beg your pardon；
old fellow。 I congratulate you； it was a lovely shot；
and mine were vile。〃
We got out of the boat and ran to the buck； which was
shot through the spine and stone dead。 It took us a
quarter of an hour or more to clean it and cut off as
much of the best meat as we could carry； and； having
packed this away； we had barely light enough to row up
into the lagoon…like space； into which； there being a
hollow in the swamp； the river here expanded。 Just as
the light vanished we cast anchor about thirty fathoms
from the edge of the lake。 We did not dare to go
ashore； not knowing if we should find dry ground to
camp on； and greatly fearing the poisonous exhalations
from the marsh； from which we thought we should be
freer on the water。 So we lighted a lantern； and made
our evening meal off another potted tongue in the best
fashion that we could； and then prepared to go to
sleep； only； however； to find that sleep was
impossible。 For； whether they were attracted by the
lantern； or by the unaccustomed smell of a white man；
for which they had been waiting for the last thousand
years or so； I know not； but certainly we were
presently attacked by tens of thousands of the most
bloodthirsty； pertinacious； and huge mosquitoes that I
ever saw or read of。 In clouds they came； and pinged
and buzzed and bit till we were nearly mad。 Tobacco
smoke only seemed to stir them into a merrier and more
active life； till at length we were driven to covering
ourselves with blankets； head and all； and sitting to
slowly stew and continually scratch and swear beneath
them。 And as we sat； suddenly rolling out like thunder
through the silence came the deep roar of a lion； and
then of a second lion； moving among the reeds within
sixty yards of us。
〃I say；〃 said Leo； sticking his head out from under
his blanket； 〃lucky we ain't on the bank； eh；
avuncular？〃 （Leo sometimes addressed me in this
disrespectful way。） 〃Curse it！ a mosquito has bitten
me on the nose；〃 and the head vanished again。
Shortly； after this the moon came up； and
notwithstanding every variety of roar that echoed over
the water to us from the lions on the banks； we began；
thinking ourselves perfectly secure； to gradually doze
off。
I do not quite know what it was that made me poke my
head out of the friendly shelter of the blanket；
perhaps because I found that the mosquitoes were
biting right through it。 Anyhow； as I did so I heard
Job whisper； a frightened voice
〃Oh； my stars； look there！〃
Instantly we all of us looked； and this was what we
saw in the moonlight。 Near the shore were two wide and
ever…widening circles of concentric rings rippling
away across the surface of the water； and in the heart
and centre of the circles were two dark moving
objects。
〃What is it？〃 asked I。
〃It is those damned lions； sir；〃 answered Job； in a
tone which was an odd mixture of a sense of personal
injury； habitual respect； and acknowledged fear； 〃and
they are swimming here to heat us；〃 he added；
nervously picking up an 〃h〃 in his agitation。
I looked again； there was no doubt about it； I could
catch the glare of their ferocious eyes。 Attracted
either by the smell of the newly killed water buck
meat or of ourselves； the hungry beasts were actually
storming our position。
Leo already had his rifle in his hand。 I called to him
to wait till they were nearer； and meanwhile grabbed
my own。 Some fifteen feet from us the water shallowed
on a bank to the depth of about fifteen inches； and
presently the first of themit was the lionessgot
on to it and shook herself and roared。 At that moment
Leo fired； and the bullet went right down her open
mouth and out at the back of her neck； and down she
dropped； with a splash； dead。 The other liona full…
grown malewas some two paces behind her。 At this
second he got his forepaws on to the bank； when a
strange thing happened。 There was a rush and
disturbance of the water； such as one sees in a pond
in England when a pike takes a little fish； only a
thousand times fiercer and larger； and suddenly the
lion gave a most terrific snarling roar and sprang
forward on to the bank； dragging something black with
him。
〃Allah！〃 shouted Mahomed； 〃a crocodile has got him by
the leg！〃 and sure enough he had。 We could see the
long snout with its gleaming lines of teeth and the
reptile body behind it。
And then followed an extraordinary scene； indeed。 The
lion managed to get well on to the bank； the crocodile
half standing and half swimming； still nipping his
hind…leg。 He roared till the air quivered with the
sound； and then； with a savage； shrieking snarl；
turned round and clawed hold of the crocodile's head。
The crocodile shifted his grip； having； as we
afterwards discovered； had one of his eyes torn out；
and slightly turned over； and instantly the lion got
him by the throat and held on； and then over and over
they rolled upon the bank； struggling hideously。 It
was impossible to follow their movements； but when
next we got a clear view the tables had turned； for
the crocodile； whose head seemed to be a mass of gore；
had got the lion's body in his iron jaws just above
the hips； and was squeezing him and shaking him to and
fro。 For his part the tortured brute； roaring in
agony； was clawing and biting madly at his enemy's
scaly head； and fixing his great hind claws in the
crocodile's； comparatively speaking； soft throat；
ripping it open as one would rip a glove。
Then； all of a sudden； the end came。 The lion's head
fell forward on the crocodile's back； and with an
awful groan he died； and the crocodile； after standing
for a minute motionless； slowly rolled over on to his
side； his jaws still fixed across the carcass of the
lion； which we afterwards found he had bitten almost
in halves。
This duel to the death was a wonderful and a shocking
sight； and one that I suppose few men have seenand
thus it ended。
When it was all over； leaving Mahomed to keep a
lookout； we managed to spend the rest of the night as
quietly as the mosquitoes would allow。
CHAPTER VI
AN EARLY CHRISTIAN CEREMONY
Next morning； at the earliest blush of dawn； we rose；
performed such ablutions as circumstances would allow；
and generally made ready to start。 I am bound to say
that when there was sufficient light to enable us to
see each other's faces I； for one； burst out into a
roar of laughter。 Job's fat and comfortable
countenance was swollen out to nearly twice its normal
size from mosquito bites； and Leo's condition was not
much better。 Indeed； of the three I had come off much
the best； probably owing to the toughness of my dark
skin； and to the fact that a good deal of it was
covered by hair； for since we started from England I
had allowed my naturally luxuriant beard to grow at
its own sweet will。 But the other two were；
comparatively speaking； clean shaved； which of course
gave the enemy a larger extent of open country to
operate on； though as for Mahomed； the mosquitoes；
recognizing the taste of a true believer； would not
touch him at any price。 How often； I wonder； during
the next week or so did we wish that we were flavored
like an Arab！
By the time that we had done laughing as heartily as
our swollen lips would allow； it was daylight； and the
morning breeze was coming up from the sea； cutting
lanes through the dense marsh mists； and here and
there rolling them before it in great balls of fleecy
vapor。 So we set our sail； and having first taken a
look at the two dead lions and the dead alligator；
which we were of course unable to skin； being
destitute of means of curing the pelts； we started；
and； sailing through the lagoon； followed the course
of the rive