ire. Having knee-haltered his horses, so that they
could not stray far, Hans started with his gun to examine the edge of a
vlei or marsh into which the little stream flowed, and where Hans
believed he might find some game.

Having reached the edge of this vlei, Hans commenced examining the
ground to look for spoor, as by that means he could tell what creatures
he might probably find there. The first footprint that attracted his
attention was that of a buffalo, which from the size of the hoof and the
wide-spread toes he concluded was a very old bull. This buffalo, from
the freshness of the spoor, was evidently in the reeds not far from him.
Being a thorough sportsman, Hans was not one who shot for the mere
object of killing. He, on the present occasion, wished to obtain fresh
meat, and a small buck was what he wanted, an old bull buffalo being
rather too tough. As Hans decided to seek for some other game, he
noticed a movement in the reeds about fifty yards from him, and there
saw the bull buffalo stalk slowly out, raise its head as it scented
danger, and then trot slowly away in the opposite direction. From
curiosity Hans stood watching this noble-looking brute as it moved
apparently unwillingly away from a danger which it would have readily
encountered. Having reached a covert about two hundred yards from where
Hans stood watching it, the creature entered this, crushing the long
canes as though they were nothing stronger than grass, and expecting
there to obtain a sanctuary. As far as Hans was concerned the buffalo
was safe; but his attention was soon drawn to an object which, scarcely
visible above the long grass, seemed rapidly advancing to the reeds in
which the buffalo had retreated. At first Hans supposed this to be a
buck, but a glance which he obtained as the animal bounded over a
tangled mass of reeds showed him it was a full-sized lion. The
defenceless state of his horses at once occurred to Hans, whose first
thought was to return to them; but being convinced that the lion was in
pursuit of the buffalo, he determined to wait in order to see the result
of the combat. The buffalo was evidently aware of some danger, for it
did not rest amongst the thick canes, but slowly stalked out on the
opposite side, thus giving to Hans a good view of itself. The lion soon
followed, and as the buffalo turned about and sniffed the air, the lion
with a rapid bound sprang on the buffalo's shoulder, and endeavoured to