LIONS. 57 



a view to catch them, when I caught a glimpse 

 of a lioness rapidly but cautiously making for me. 



There was no time to put bullets in the gun, 

 and I swiftly decided to stand perfectly still till 

 it became clear that the lioness meant to seize 

 me, and as a last chance then to send a charge of 

 shot at her head, in the hope of blinding her at 

 least. In a few moments the brute was wilhin four 

 yards or so of me, growling and showing her teeth 

 ominously. But she halted, so I decided to remain 

 still, lest any movement should indicate hostile 

 intentions on my part, and thus invite an attack. 

 The cubs now joined their dam, and she just 

 looked down at them for a moment, but maintained 

 a menacing attitude for some time, then turned 

 slowly round, and, followed by the cubs, made for 

 a huge boulder about twenty yards distant, and 

 passing round it, lay down on the other side, as 

 1 could see by the black tail tuft which protruded 

 beyond the edge of the rock. 



This boulder was about twelve feet high, and 

 of proportionate diameter, but appeared fairly 

 climbable for stockinged feet from my standpoint, 

 so I hastily rammed down two bullets on the top 

 of the shot charge, kicked off my shoes, stuck the 



