140 THE LIOX. 



the distinguished Nimrod in question writes as 

 follows : 



" I rode directly for the spot where the beast was 

 supposed to be, and drawing near to it, two savage 

 lionesses sat up in the grass and growled fiercely at 

 us. An unlucky belt of reeds, about sixty yards 

 long and twenty broad, intervened between me and 

 the lionesses, and on perceiving their danger, they 

 at once dashed into this cover." Then followed the 

 most woeful cutting up and destruction among my 

 best and most valuable dogs (thirty in number) . The 

 lionesses had it all their own way. In vain I rode 

 round and round the small cover, endeavouring to 

 obtain a peep of them, which would have enabled 

 me to put a speedy conclusion to the murderous 

 work within. The reeds were so tall and dense 

 that, although the lionesses were often at bay within 

 eight or ten yards of me, it was impossible to see 

 them. At length one came outside the cover on the 

 opposite side, when I fired a shot from the saddle. 

 My horse was unsteady, nevertheless I wounded her, 

 and acknowledging the shot with angry growls, she 

 re-entered the reeds. 



" A number of the dogs, which had gone after a 

 herd of blue wildebeests, now returned, and, coming 

 down through the long grass, started a third lioness, 

 which came growling down into the cover and joined 

 her comrades. This was the signal for my united 

 pack to make a bold sally into the centre of the 

 lion's den, when they were savagely met by the 

 three lionesses, who rushed furiously up and down, 

 knocking the dogs about with just as much facility 



