350 TO THE UASIN GISHU [ch. xii 



but who rode foremost, was almost on him. He halted 

 and turned under a low thorn-tree, and we galloped 

 past hun to the opposite side, to hold him until the 

 spearmen could come. It was a sore temptation to 

 shoot him ; but of course we could not break faith with 

 our Nandi friends. We were only some sixty yards 

 from him, and we watched him with our rifles ready, 

 lest he should charge either us or the first two or three 

 spearmen, before their companions arrived. 



One by one the spearmen came up at a run, and 

 gradually began to form a ring round him. Each, when 

 he came near enough, crouched behind his shield, his 

 spear in his right hand, his fierce, eager face peering 

 over the shield rim. As man followed man, the lion 

 rose to his feet. His mane bristled, his tail lashed, he 

 held his head low, the upper lip now drooping over 

 the jaws, now drawn up so as to show the gleam of the 

 long fangs. He faced first one way and then another, 

 and never ceased to utter his murderous grunting roars. 

 It was a wild sight ; the ring of spearmen, intent, silent, 

 bent on blood, and in the centre the great nian-killing 

 beast, his thunderous wrath growing ever more 

 dangerous. 



At last the tense ring was complete, and the spearmen 

 rose and closed in. The lion looked quickly from side 

 to side, saw where the line was thinnest, and charged at 

 his topmost speed. The crowded moment began. With 

 shields held steady, and quivering spears poised, the 

 men in front braced themselves for the rush and the 

 shock ; and from either hand the warriors sprang for- 

 ward to take their foe in flank. Bounding ahead of 

 his fellows, the leader reached throwing distance ; the 

 long spear flickered and plunged ; as the lion felt the 

 woimd he half turned, and then flung himself on the 



