LIONS. 53 



obtained, if he declines to move, the horsemen 

 ride towards him in a body and dismount at about 

 one hundred yards, tie their horses' heads together, 

 with rumps towards the lion, and one or two of 

 the men at a time fire from the flanks of the body 

 of horses at any exposed part of the quarry, which 

 is generally very small, as lions instinctively select 

 any little depressions they may come across to lie 

 down in, from which they can see without exposing 

 themselves to be clearly viewed, or in default- of a 

 hollow any good-sized bunch of herbage serves 

 their purpose. If the lion, on becoming aware of 

 the advance of his enemies, beats a retreat he never 

 puts on much steam, and a couple of the best 

 mounted Boers gallop along at a safe distance 

 from each of his flanks, but a little ahead of him 

 if possible ; then the lion usually drops flat into 

 the first available hollow, and the main body of 

 horsemen collect together and proceed to action 

 in the before-mentioned manner. 



I have been a spectator of this sort of hunting 

 several times, but always remained mounted, and 

 never cared to fire a shot. On these occasions very 

 poor shooting is generally the order of the clay, 

 and if the lion is peppered ineffectually for any 



