CHAPTER IV 
MY FIRST LION 
EAR after year it grows harder to get lions to stand. 
Even three years ago it was more common than it is 
now to have a lion you come on suddenly, “wait a little on 
his departing,” taking stock, first of all, of the intruder on his 
demesne before slinking away. ‘That first questioning pause 
was of course the hunter’s golden opportunity, and the man 
who was always ready, and the initiated know well not one 
sportsman in ten belongs to that category, gathered his roses 
while he might — or rather — promptly got his lion. 
Now if you see a lion in the open, and he sees you, which 
nine out of ten times he does, before even good native eyes 
see him, he is sure to beat a retreat, even though you may 
be a thousand yards away. He will retreat, too, at a pace 
that makes pursuit on foot out of the question.* And he 
will make off in a careless cunning way, as though he was. 
going off anyway on business of his own, with which your 
coming on the scene had nothing whatever to do. ‘That is 
his game. Again and again I have seen lions follow it so long 
as they had the enemy in sight. You, of course, encouraged 
by so slow and leisurely a departure, as soon as some slope 
of the ground or other welcome shelter affords you the chance 
run for all you are worth to make up distance, and full of 
hope, if you are out of wind, panting, you raise your head 
cautiously about the cover almost sure of a shot. Alas, no! 
The moment you were out of sight, could you but have seen 
him, you would have been surprised to see your quarry, 
* JI mention, later, circumstances under which, even when lions see the hunter and get away — they 
can be followed up on foot, and probably one at least shot. 
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