Itmaybereadilyimaginedthataccidentsfrequentlyoccurinthegreathuntsalreadydescribed，asitisquiteimpossibletospeculateuponthespeciesofanimalthatmaybedrivenintothenet。AfinelittleladofaboutelevenyearswaskilledbyaleopardwithinamileofmyFatikostation。Thegrasshadbeenfired，andtheanimalsinstinctivelyknewthattheywerepursued。
Theboywenttodrinkatastreamclosetosomehighreeds，whenaleopardpounceduponhimwithouttheslightestwarning。Anativewhowasclosetothespotrusheduptotherescue，andthrewhisspearwithsuchdexteritythathestrucktheleopardthroughtheneckwhileithadtheboyinitsmouth，killingituponthespot。Theboywasimmediatelybroughttome，butthelungswerelacerated，andhediedduringthenight。
Onanotheroccasionfivemenwerewoundedtwofatallybyalioness，whichfoughtsogallantlythatsheatlengthescapedfromherassailantswithtwospearsinherbody。
Iwasnotpresentonthatoccasion，butIhavefrequentlyadmiredthepluckoftheShoolinatives，whoattackeveryanimalwiththesimplehunting-spear，whichofcoursenecessitatesacloseapproach。
On30thDecemberIwentoutwithafewnativesontheFabboroad，simplytoshootinordertoprocuremeatforthecamp。Wewereabouttenmilesfromthestation，andthegamewassowildontheopenprairiesthatwefounditimpossibletoapproachwithinshot。Wehadseengreatnumbersofthebeautifulleucotisanteloperatherlargerthanafinefallowbuck，alsohartebeestAntelopebubalis，allofwhichhadquittedthecleangroundwhichhadrecentlybeenburnt，andhadretiredtothehighgrassuponalongslopingundulation。
Amongournativesweretwomenwhoweretheownersofthemanor；theythereforeproposedthatweshouldplacethegunsinposition，whiletheyshouldmarchuptowindward，andfirethegrassintheusualmanner。
LieutenantBakerwasplacedabout300yardstomyleft，andColonelAbd-el-Kaderabout150pacestomyright。Aswefacedthehighgrasswehadthegroundclearatourbacks，astheyoungherbagewasjustsproutingaftertherecentburning。
Asusual，Iwasconcealedbyalargeant-hill，behindwhich，mytwoboysSaatandBellaalsquattedwithmyspareguns。About100yardsbeforeme，inaslighthollow，thegrasswasquitegreen，asthedepressionhaduntillatelyheldwater。Thisrankherbagewouldofcoursestopthefireuponitsarrivalfromtheslopinghill-face。Aboutfortyyardsfrommethegrasswashighanddry。
Abouthalfanhourafterthegunswerepostedweheardthewhistles，andshortlyafter，thesmokeroseinvariousplacesuntilatlastacrescentoffirespreadoverthehill。Thewindwasverylight，thereforethefiretravelledslowly，andthegameadvancedataneasypace。Inowheardshotsuponmyleftattheextremeflank，whereIhadpostedafewofthebestshotsofthe”FortyThieves，”includingFerritchAjoke。
Isawthegamebreakingcovertinherdsofseveralhundredsinthatdirection。PresentlyAbd-el-Kaderhadashotuponmyright，andI
observedseveralantelopesboundingalongupontheclearspaceinourrear。
Iwasnotinluck，butInowsawasplendidbuckleucotiswalkingquietlythroughthegrass，andslowlydescendingtheslopetothegreenhollow，whichwouldbringhimstraighttowardsmeshouldhekeepthisdirection。
JustatthatmomentIsawalongyellowtailrisesuddenlyfromthegreenhollow，andaninstantlaterIsawafinelion，withtailerect，thathadevidentlybeendisturbedbytheadvancingfire。
Thelionwasdownwindofthebuckleucotis，whichwasnowclosetotheunseenenemy，andwasjustdescendingthebankwhichdippedintothegreenhollow：thiswouldbringtheantelopealmostuponthelion’sback。
Thetwoanimalssuddenlyappearedtotoucheachotherastheleucotisjumpeddownthebank，andthelionsprangtooneside，apparentlyasmuchstartledastheantelope，whichboundedoffinanotherdirection，。
Thelionnowdisappearedinthehighgrass，withtheheadtowardsmyposition。
Iwhisperedtomyboysnottobeafraidshoulditappearclosetous，andatthesametimeItookthesparegunfrom；Bellal，andlaiditagainsttheant-hilltobeinreadiness。Thiswasabreechloader，withbuckshotcartridgesforsmallantelopes。
InafewminutesIheardadistinctrustlinginthehighgrassbeforeme。Thetwoboysweresquattingonthegroundtomyright。
Presentlyalouderrustlinginthegrass，withinfortyyardsinmyfront，wasfollowedbytheheadandshouldersofalargelioness，whoapparentlysawthetwoboys，andwithherbrillianteyesfixed，sheadvancedslowlytowardsthem。
Notwishingtoallowacloseracquaintance，Iaimedatherchest，andfiredthe”Dutchman。”
Thelionessrolledcompletelyover，backwards，andthreetimessheturnedconvulsivesomersaults，atthesametimeroaringtremendously；
buttomyastonishmentsheappearedtorecover，andIimmediatelyfiredmyleft-handbarrel。Atthisshechargedinhighboundsstraighttowardsmytwoboys。
Ihadjusttimetosnatchupmysparegunandshowmyselffrombehindtheant-hill，whenthelioness，startledbymysuddenappearance，turned，andIfiredachargeofbuck-shotintoherhind-quartersasshedisappearedinthehighgrassuponmyright。
Inowheardhergroaninginasuccessionofdeepgutturalsounds，withinfiftyyardsofme。
InafewminutesIheardashotfromAbd-el-Kader，andheshortlycametotellmethatthewoundedlioness，withherchestandshouldercoveredwithblood，hadcomeclosetohishiding-place；hehadfired，andhadbrokenheranklejoint，butshewasstillconcealedinthegrass。
ShooliandGimoronowcameupwithsomeofthenatives，astheyhadheardthelionessroar，andfearedsomeaccidentmighthavehappened。
Thesewereverypluckyfellows，andtheyatonceproposedtogocloseupandspearherinthegrass，ifIwouldbackthemupwiththerifles。
Wearrivedatthesupposedspot，andafterasearchwedistinguishedayellowishmasswithinsomewitheredreeds。
Shoolinowproposedthatheshouldthrowhisspear，uponwhichthelionesswouldcertainlychargefromhercovertandaffordusagoodshot，ifthegunswereproperlyarranged。
Iwouldnotallowthis，butIdeterminedtofireashotattheyellowmasstobringherout，ifeveryonewouldbereadytoreceiveher。
LieutenantBakerwasonmyright，withadouble-barrelledexpressriflethatcarriedaNo。70bullet。Thisminuteprojectilewasoflittleuseagainstthechargeofalion。
Ifiredintothemassatabouttwentyyards’distance。
Theimmediatereplywasadeterminedcharge，andtheenragedanimalcameboundingtowardsuswithtremendousroars。Thenativesthrewtheirspearsbutmissedher。Mr。Bakerfired，butneitherhenoraleft-handbarrelfromthe”Dutchman”couldcheckher。Everybodyhadtorun，andI
luckilysnatchedabreechloadingNo。12smooth-boreloadedwithballfromapanic-strickenlad，androlledheroverwithashotinthechestwhenshewasnearlyinthemidstofus。
Sheretreatedwithtwoorthreeboundstoheroriginalcovert。
Ihadnowreloadedthe”Dutchman，”andhavinggivenordersthateveryoneshouldkeepoutoftheway，andbeready，IwentcloseuptothegrasswithShooli，andquicklydiscoveredher。Shewassittinguplikeadog，butwaslookingintheoppositedirection，asthoughexpectinganenemyinthatquarter。
Iwaswithintwelveyardsofher，andIimmediatelyputabulletinthebackofherneck，whichdroppedherdead。
Inherinsidewediscoveredafreshly-eatenleucotiscalf，whichhadbeensimplydividedbyherteethinlumpsofabouttwopoundseach。Thiswasquitefresh，andmysoldiersandthenativesdivideditamongthemasabonne-bouche。Nastyfellows！
Theday’ssporthadbeen：——Onelionesskilledbymyself；oneleucotisbuckbyMr。Baker；oneleucotisbuckbyAbd-el-Kader；twodoesofthesamespeciesbyFerritchAjoke；andthenativeshadspearedthreecalves。Total，onelionessandsevenantelopes，ALLofwhichweretobeeaten。
Wereachedhomeat5。40p。m。，nothavinghadtimetoeatanythingsincetheprecedingevening。Thelionessmeasuredninefeetsixinchesfromnosetotailextremity。
AsthisworkissimplyanaccountoftheprincipaleventsconnectedwiththeKhedive’sexpedition，Icannotaffordspaceformanysportingincidents。Gamewasveryabundant，andwegenerallykeptthestationwellsupplied；atthesametimeIgavelargequantitiesoffleshtothenatives。
Isometimessentapartyofmy”Forty”tohunt，inwhichsporttheytookagreatinterest，andthepracticewiththerifleimprovedtheirshooting。
Thenativesthroughoutthecountrywereperfectlyhappyandcontented，butthewomenhadbeensomewhatdisturbedbytheaccountstheyhadreceivedofourencounterwiththelioness。TheyheldameetinginGimoro’svillage。
OnthefollowingdaybothGimoroandShooliarrivedatmypublicdivanlookingratherdejected。
Theyinformedmethatthewomen，havingheldameeting，hadarrivedattheconclusion，”thatthePachamustnotbeallowedtogoouthunting，ashemightpossiblybekilledbyalionorabuffalo。””Whatwouldhappentous?”continuedthewomen，”ifanyaccidentshouldbefallourfather?Wouldnottheslave-huntersimmediatelyreturntothecountryanddestroyus，simplybecausehehadprotectedus?Dowenotnowsleepinpeace?andwerewenotalwaysawakeatnightbeforehecameamongus?”
ThewomendecidedthatIwastobekeptinthecampasacojoorortalisman，andthatthenativeswerenottoleadmeintodangerofwildanimals。
ThisdeclarationoftheladiesofFatikocouldhardlybecalledPETTICOATgovernment，astheirtotalindependenceofattireprecludedanyreferencetosuchagarment；butitwasadistinctassertionofwomen’srighttoprotectthepersonwhohadprotectedthem。Theywereexcellentpeople，andwerealwayswellcaredforandkindlytreatedbythemen。
MyfortatFatikowaswithincalloftwolargevillages——thoseofGimoroandthesheikofthecountry：duringmysojournofsevenmonths，Ineverheardawomanscream，neitherwasthereanydomesticorcivildisturbance。
Therewerenopolicerequiredinthatcountry；therewasnopickpockets，astherewerenopocketstopick——whichwasoneadvantageinfavourofnudity。ALondonpolicemagistratewouldhavediedofennui；theconstablescouldnotevenhavesworntoacaseofintoxication，merelyasamatterofformtoaffordemployment。Therewerenoimmoralfemalestodisgracethepublicstreets；neitherwerethereanybeggars，vagrants，organ-grinders，orperambulatorstoworry，deafen，orupsetyou。Mycountrywasapictureoftrueharmony。Wehadnocomplexmachineryoflaw；therewasnosuchdifficultyasanestateinChancery；
noDivorceCourt，orcasesofcrim。con。thatnecessitatedanappeal。
Adulterywouldbesettledbyfloggingrespondentandco-respondent，withajudicialseparationafterthepunishment。
Ihadnoecclesiasticaldifficulties；noHighChurch，Ritualists，LowChurch，BroadChurchmen，Philosophers，Wesleyans，Baptists，Presbyterians，RomanCatholics，Episcopalians，Independents，norevenaJesuitoradescendantofIsraeltobringdiscordintomyharmonioustabernacle。
MytroopswereMohammedans，withoutanopposingsect，therefore，forlackofopposition，theywerelukewarmbelievers。
Thenativesbelievedinnothing。
Thecuriousfactremained，thatwithouttheslightestprincipleofworship，orevenanaturalreligiousinstinct，thesepeopleshouldbefreefrommanyvicesthatdisgraceacivilizedcommunity。IendeavouredtopersuadethemostintelligentoftheexistenceofaDeitywhocouldrewardorpunish；butbeyondthisIdarednotventure，astheywouldhaveaskedpracticalquestions，whichIcouldnothaveexplainedtotheirmaterialunderstanding。
Iextractverbatimfrommyjournaltheshortentryof31stDecember，1872：——”Thecloseoftheyearfindsus，thankGod，atpeaceinthiscountry，witheveryprospectofprosperity。”
CHAPTERXXVI。
ARRIVALOFM’TESE’SENVOYS。