70 LION-HUNTING [ch. hi 



man, and dog evidently all looked upon any form of 

 encounter with lions simply in the light of a spree. 



After lunch we began to beat down a long donga, or 

 dry watercourse — a creek, as we should call it in the 

 Western plains country. The watercourse, with low, 

 steep banks, wound in curves, and here and there were 

 patches of brush, which might contain anything in the 

 shape of lion, cheetah, hyena, or wild-dog. Soon we 

 came upon lion spoor in the sandy bed ; first the foot- 

 prints of a big male, then those of a lioness. We walked 

 cautiously along each side of the donga, the horses 

 following close behind so that if the lion were missed 

 we could gallop after him and round him up on the 

 plain. The dogs — for besides the little bull, we had a 

 large brindled mongrel named Ben, whose courage 

 belied his looks — began to show signs of scenting the 

 lion ; and we beat out each patch of brush, the natives 

 shouting and throwing in stones, while we stood with 

 the rifles where we could best command any probable 

 exit. After a couple of false alarms, the dogs drew 

 toward one patch, their hair bristling, and showing such 

 eager excitement that it was evident something big was 

 inside, and in a moment one of the boys called " Simba " 

 ( Lion), and pointed with his finger. It was just across 

 the little ravine, there about four yards wide and as 

 many feet deep ; and I shifted my position, peering 

 eagerly into the bushes for some moments before I 

 caught a glimpse of tawny hide. As it moved, there was 

 a call to me to " shoot," for at that distance, if the lion 

 charged, there would be scant time to stop it ; and I 

 fired into what I saw. There was a commotion in the 

 bushes, and Kermit fired ; and immediately afterward 

 there broke out on the other side, not the hoped-for big 

 lion, but two cubs the size of mastiffs. Each was badly 



