HUNTING LIONS. 395 



bowed symptoms of uneasiness ; they rose to their feet, and, over- 

 hauling us for half a minute, disappeared over the bank. They re- 

 appeared, however, directly, a little farther down ; and finding that 

 their present position was bare, they walked majestically along the 

 top of the bank to a spot a few hundred yards lower, where the bank 

 was well woo-isd. Here they seemed half inclined to await my attack ; 

 two stretched out their massive arms, and lay down in the grass, and 

 the other two sat up like dogs upon their haunches. Deeming it 

 probable that when my dogs came up and I approached they would 

 still retreat and make a bolt across the open vley, I directed Carey 

 to canter forward and take up the ground in the centre of the vley 

 about four hundred yards in advance; whereby the lions would be 

 compelled either to give us battle or to swim the river, which, although 

 narrow, I knew they would be very reluctant to do. I now sat in 

 my saddle, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the dogsj. and whilst 

 thus momentarily disengaged, I was* much struck with the majestic 

 and truly appalling appearance which these four noble lions exhibited. 

 They were all full-grown immense males ; and I felt, I must confess, 

 a little nervous, and very uncertain as to what might be the issue of 

 the attack. 



When the dogs came up I rode right in towards the lions. They 

 sprang to their feet, and trotted slowly along the bank of the river, 

 once or twice halting and facing about for half a minute. Immedi- 

 ately below them there was a small determined bend in the streafh, 

 forming a sort of peninsula. Into this bend they disappeared, and 

 ihi next moment I was upon them with my dogs. They had taken 

 shelter in a dense angle of the peninsula, well sheltered by high treea 

 end reeds. Into this retreat the dogs at once boldly followed them, 

 making a loud barking, which was instantly followed by the terrible 

 voices of the lions, which turned about and charged to the end of 

 the cover. Next moment, however, I heard them plunge into the 

 river, when I sprang from my horse, and running to the top of the 

 bank, I saw three of them ascending the opposite bank, the dogs fol- 

 lowing. One of them bounded away across the open plain at top 

 speed, but the other two, finding themselves followed by the dogs, 

 immediately turned tc Lay. It was now my turn, so, taking them 



