from previous-

-he  did  his  best  and  failed  to  control his  horse, so  he  lifted  his  rifle  from its  position and  with  great  care  tightly  hung  it  on his  shoulder  ,lowering  himself  he  clutched  tight  on the  nape  of  the  horse  in case  it  threw  him off  on the  ground  he  must  at  least  have  a  rifle  to  protect himself, 
-he  realised  he  and his  horse  were  cut  off  from the  res  of  the  group, though  it  was  not  a  dangerous  forest  where  lions and  cheetas  lived  but  it  was  remote  and  he  was  alone  and  it  was  getting  dark