72, THE LAND OF THE LION 
game. But never a lion! I had hunted early and late, 
risen before the sun, morning after morning, and sat up ina 
machan* all the night, but never shot at a lion. I had 
walked all round Donyea Sabuk and never seen a lion, 
while two other men who had walked part of the way round, 
beginning at the opposite side to mine, had shot four. 
You can fancy that after waiting so long a time, and just 
missing getting one so often, I was pretty keen set on lions. 
J. J. W., naturally, like most Americans, wanted every- 
thing he could get, so he was not above trying for a lion 
also, and on his way to get the king, he was pretty sure in 
the country we were now in, to be able to secure a specimen 
of most of his subjects. Here then, happily, as in other 
things, we found ourselves of the same mind. Game herds 
there were everywhere, and also abundant evidence that 
hundreds of elephants had lately been, not only crossing the 
plateau, but resting and feeding on it. So it was with great 
expectations we moved northward from the rock. 
On May 26th, J. J. W.and his hunter saw the first lions, 
two females. They offered no chance and made off into 
long grass bordering the river. Following on, the cover 
grew thicker, and as there was ominous growling they 
left them. On getting back to the mule, J. J. W found 
his syce and the porter who was with him, in a great state 
of perturbation. ‘They declared that soon as he had entered 
the cover, four lions, one a large male, had broken back 
and crossed the open glade behind the guns. There 
were, therefore, either four or six lions in all in that bunch. 
But unarmed black men may be pardoned if they exaggerate. 
During the next two nights we heard lions constantly 
and once on the march I had a glimpse of two great dark- 
maned fellows who heard the sefaris rattle, and made off 
before we came within shot. Had I known then, what I 
learned afterward, that the very best country to follow 
* Platform built in a tree. 
