ENCOUNTER -WITH LIONS. 251 



my right, while a little to my left was a small vley, 

 and here I observed a jackal steal away, while a crow 

 sounded his ominous voice in advance. 



These signs bid fair for the proximity of lions, and I 

 remarked to Booi that we must be upon them ; it was 

 so. Next moment I observed a yellowish form on a 

 barish spot two hundred yards ahead, which we knew 

 must be the lion, and thither we rode at top speed. On 

 observing us he raised his noble head, but quickly 

 again laid it flat on the ground, intending to crouch in 

 the hope that we should pass him by unnoticed. Within 

 twenty yards of him lay a noble lioness, with two half- 

 grown young lions. On seeing that our course was 

 direct for where they lay, they bounded up and charged 

 for the cover to our right, the old lion displaying more 

 cowardice than either his royal spouse or the young 

 lions, and taking the lead at the best pace that he could 

 muster. I did not wait for my rifle, but shouting to my 

 dogs I pressed forward and tried to cut off" his retreat. 

 I was even with him and the lioness, and within twenty 

 yards, when they reached the cover, which they sullenly 

 entered. The dogs seemingly were apprehensive of fol- 

 lowing too near such dangerous game, probably warned 

 by the fate of their comrades on the preceding day. 



The noble game having thus retreated, I placed Booi 

 at one end of the cover to keep watch, while I rode to the 

 other end to beat up through the center with the dogs. 

 Twice I drew the cover unsuccessfully, but the third 

 time the dogs found the lioness lying under a bushy 

 tree. Then followed a bay, when I rode up and gave 

 her both barrels behind the shoulder, which partially 

 disabled her. My third shot entered beside her eye and 

 blew away the entire half of her brain-pan. When rid- 

 ing up I had heard a dog shriek, and on looking round 



