CH. viiij J*H()T()(;l^APT^ING A LIONESS 187 



Next day we shifted camp to a rush-fringed pool by 

 a grove of tall, flat-topped acacias at the foot of a range 

 of low, steep mountains. Before us the plain stretched, 

 and in front of our tents it was dotted by huge candel- 

 abra euphorbias. I shot a buck for the table just as we 

 pitched camp. There were Masai kraals and cattle 

 herds near by, and tall warriors, pleasant and friendly, 

 strolled among our tents, their huge razor-edged spears 

 tipped with furry caps to protect the points. Kermit 

 was off all day with Tarlton, and killed a magnificent 

 lioness. In the morning, on some high hills, he obtained 

 a good impalla ram, after persevering hours of climbing 

 and running — -for only one of the gun-bearers and none 

 of the whites could keep up with him on foot when he 

 went hard. In the afternoon at four he and Tarlton 

 saw the lioness. She was followed by three three-parts- 

 grown young lions, doubtless her cubs, and, without 

 any concealment, was walking across the open plain 

 toward a pool by which lay the body of a wildebeest 

 bull she liad killed the preceding night. The smaller 

 lions saw the hunters and shrank back, but tlie old 

 lioness never noticed them until they were within a 

 hundred and fifty yards. Then she ran back, but 

 Kermit crumpled her up with his first bullet. He then 

 put another bullet in her, and as she seemed disabled 

 walked up within fifty yards, and took some photos. 

 By this time she was recovering, and, switching her tail, 

 she gathered her hind-quarters under her for a charge ; 

 but he stopped her with another bullet, and killed her 

 outright with a fourth. 



VVe heard that jNlearns and Loring, whom we had 

 left ten days before, had also killed a lioness. A Masai 

 brought in word to them that he had marked her down 

 taking her noonday rest near a kongoni she had killed ; 



