ENCOUNTER WITH A LIONESS. lol 



came up with her. She was a full-grown beast, and 

 the bare and level nature of the plain added to her 

 imposing appearance. Finding that I gained upon 

 her, she reduced her pace from a canter to a trot, 

 carrying her tail stuck out behind her, and slewed 

 a little to one side. I shouted loudly to her to halt, 

 as I wished to speak with her, upon which she 

 suddenly pulled up, and sat on her haunches like a 

 dog, with her back towards me, not even deigning 

 to look round. She then appeared to say to her- 

 self, 'Does this fellow know whom he is after?' 

 Having thus sat for half a minute, as if involved in 

 thought, she sprang to her feet, and, facing about, 

 stood looking at me for a few seconds, moving her 



o * o 



tail slowly from side to side, showing her teeth, and 

 growling fiercely. She next made a short run for- 

 ward, making a loud rumbling noise like thunder. 

 This she did to intimidate me ; but, finding that I 

 did not flinch an inch, nor seem to heed her hostile 

 demonstrations, she quietly stretched out her mass- 

 ive arms, arid lay down on the grass. My Hotten- 

 tots now coming up, we all three dismounted, and 

 drawing our rifles from their holsters, we looked to 

 see if the powder was in the nipples, and put on our 

 caps. While this was doing the lioness sat up, 

 and showed evident symptoms of uneasiness. She 

 looked first at us, and then behind her, as it to see 

 if the coast was clear; alter which she made a 

 short run towards us, uttering her deep-drawn 

 murderous growl. Having secured the three horses 

 to one another by their rheims, we led them on as it 

 we intended to pass her, in the hope ot obtaining a 



K -2 



