XII UNPLEASANT POSITION 261 



bells which were tied round their necks. Like Daniel, 

 they didn't care a bit for the lions, and the lions didn't 

 care a bit for them. Now and a^ain I could see one 

 of the lions rise from behind the horse, and placing 

 its fore-paws on the carcase, raise its head and look 

 towards us, its cocked ears being plainly visible against 

 the sky-line ; then in a noiseless, ghostly manner it 

 would seem to sink into the ground again. About 

 ten yards to my right hand there was a little bush, a 

 bit nearer to the lions, so I crept up to it without 

 appearing to attract their attention. As I sat here I 

 began to fear that, as day broke, and before it got 

 light enough to see to shoot, they would decamp, and 

 the idea struck me that it would be as well to creep 

 up to a little bush that was about eight yards from 

 the carcase — the wind being favourable — as I should 

 then be so near that, even if I could not see the sight 

 of my rifle, I should have been almost certain to hit 

 one, had they showed any signs of decamping. Lying 

 flat on my belly and pushing my rifle cautiously in 

 front of me, I had advanced about six yards, and 

 thought I had the little bush well between me and 

 the lions, when suddenly the form of one seemed to 

 rise from the earth, and with its fore-paws on the 

 body of the dead horse, commenced looking intently 

 towards me. I could now see the outline of the 

 beast's shoulders, with the head surmounted by the 

 rounded ears, quite distinctly, and levelling my rifle, 

 was debating whether or not to fire, when with a 

 loud growl she — for it was the lioness- — sprang away, 

 and at the same moment I saw the indistinct outline 

 of another rise from the carcase and follow her. 

 Thinking that there were only two of them, and that 

 I had made a mess of the whole business, I stood up, 

 and was on the point of advancing towards the horse, 



