ere several yards apart; then
wheel round, drop once more to their knees; and advance as before.

"Hitherto I had looked upon these conflicts as merely playful; and so I
fancy most of them were. But this time the bulls seemed to be in
earnest. The loud cracking of their helmet-covered foreheads against
each other, their fierce snorting and bellowing, and, above all, their
angry manner, convinced me that they had really quarrelled, and were
serious about it.

"One of them, at length, seemed to be getting knocked over repeatedly.
Every time he had partially risen to his feet, and before he could quite
recover them, his antagonist rushed upon him, and butted him back upon
his side.

"Seeing them so earnestly engaged, I thought I might as well make a sure
shot of it, by going a little nearer; so I stepped from behind the
ant-hill, and walked towards the combatants. Neither took any notice of
my approach--the one because he had enough to do to guard himself from
the terrible blows, and the other because he was so occupied in
delivering them.

"When within twenty paces I levelled my gun. I chose the bull who
appeared victor, partly as a punishment for his want of feeling in
striking a fallen antagonist, but, perhaps, more because his broadside
was towards me, and presented a fairer mark.

"I fired.

"The smoke hid both for a moment. When it cleared off, I saw the bull
that had been conquered still down in a kneeling attitude, but, to my
great surprise, the one at which I had aimed was upon his feet,
apparently as brisk and sound as ever! I knew I had hit him somewhere--
as I heard the `thud' of the bullet on his fat body--but it was plain I
had not crippled him.

"I was not allowed time for reflection as to where I had wounded him.
Not an instant indeed, for the moment the smoke cleared away, instead of
the bulls clearing off also, I saw the one I had shot at fling up his
tail, lower his shaggy front, and charge right towards me!

"His fierce eyes glanced with a revengeful look, and his roar was enough
to have terrified one more courageous than I. I assure you I was less
frightened the other day when I encountered the lion.

"I did not know what to do for some moments. I thought of setting
myself in an attitude of defence, and involuntarily had turned my gun
which was now empty--intending to use it as a club. But I saw at once,
that the slight blow I could deliver would not stop the onset of such a
strong