ROOSEVELT IN WILDS OF BRITISH EAST AFRICA 401 



the black beaters loading the skins on poles and bearing them into 

 camp on their shoulders, singing their hunting song as they bore the 

 prizes homeward. 



In a second lion hunt, which took place a few days later, Kermit 

 began the day's sport by downing a cheetah and two antelopes, but 

 his father bagged the first lion, a half-grown male. Riding on, they 

 found they had entered a well-peopled lair. In a patch of grass a few 

 hundred feet away a lion rose with an angry grunt, faced the hunters 

 for a brief instant and then hotly charged. The moment was a critical 

 one, but Roosevelt was equal to the occasion. His piece rang out and 

 the furious beast fell in mid career with a fatal wound. Two more 

 bullets were sent to make sure of its death. 



This quick shot at close range very likely saved the lives of some 

 of his escort, on whom the beast was charging at a pace that meant 

 business. As it was they had a narrow escape and warmly praised the 

 accuracy of the hunter's aim, which had hit the animal at a fatal spot 

 between neck and shoulder. 



A little farther on a lioness was put up and she in turn charged 

 the line of beaters. She was toppled over, like her late comrade, by 

 Roosevelt's deadly weapon, but rose and gained the shelter of some 

 bushes. She was still dangerous and a second shot was needed to close 

 her career. Thus in a few days our daring hunter had bagged no 

 fewer than five lions, and had much warrant for a feeling of exultation 

 when the bearers came home after nightfall bearing the skins of the 

 slain animals and singing a chorus of savage triumph as they swayed 

 along with their burden in the light of the full May moon. 



An adventure of a different character, and one that caused some 

 consternation in the party, took place ja. day or two later. Kermit 

 Roosevelt, while out riding alone on May 7th, lost his way in the track- 

 less wilderness and was obliged to spend the night in a region strange 

 to him, leaving his father and friends in a state of intense anxiety. 

 On the following day he succeeded in reaching a station on the rail- 

 way and was directed how to find the camp of the expedition. 



Colonel Roosevelt's good fortune in lion hunting was followed by 

 a desire to add to his collection of animal specimens some good exam- 

 ples of the stately giraffe, an animal peculiar to Africa and one of the 



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