cH. Til] A WOUNDED LION 73 



ever, saw the lion, loping along close behind some 

 kongoni ; and this enabled ine to get up to him as 

 quickly as the lighter men on the faster horses. The 

 going was now slightly downhill, and the sorrel took me 

 along very well, while Medlicott, whose horse was slow, 

 bore to the right and joined the other two men. We 

 gained rapidly, and, finding out this, the lion suddenly 

 halted and came to bay in a slight hollow, where the 

 grass was rather long. The plain seemed flat, and 

 we could see the lion well from horseback ; but, 

 especially when he lay down, it was most difficult to 

 make him out on foot, and impossible to do so when 

 kneeling. 



AVe were about a hundred and fifty yards from the 

 lion. Sir Alfred, Kermit, Medlicott, and Miss Pease off 

 to one side, and slightly above him on the slope, while 

 1 was on the level, about equidistant from him and 

 them. Kermit and I tried shooting from the horses, 

 but at such a distance this was not effective. Then 

 Kermit got off, but his horse would not let him shoot ; 

 i and when I got off I could not make out the animal 

 through the gi*ass with sufficient distinctness to enable 

 i me to take aim. Old Ben the dog had arrived, and, 

 barking loudly, was strolling about near the lion, which 

 paid him not the slightest attention. At this moment 

 i my black sais, Simba, came running up to me and took 

 hold of the bridle ; he had seen the chase from the line 

 i of march and had cut across to join me. There was no 

 I other sais or gun- bearer anywhere near, and his action 

 I was plucky, for he was the only man afoot, with the lion 

 ' at bay. Lady Pease had also ridden up and was an 

 j interested spectator only some fifty yards behind me. 

 ( Now, an elderly man with a varied past which in- 

 cludes rheumatism does not vault lightly into the 



