A FIGHT WITH A LIONESS 



before dark to get milk for me, and I may say he saved 

 my life. The poor chap (he has since been killed by 

 a lion, although at this time, when he was only twenty, 

 he had slain one single-handed) was genuinely upset 

 to see me so ill, and the risks he ran from lions and 

 rhino proved his affection and courage. He had fallen 

 down several times, and had come through that country 

 alone where I had seen fourteen rhino in a day. He was 

 so afraid of being too late he could not wait until daylight. 



Next day after a rest I was better, as I had had 

 a fairly good night's sleep. We trekked again, and in 

 the afternoon had a fight with a lioness. 



When I came upon the scene the Masai were on 

 a small plain where the grass was only a few inches 

 high. The four SomaHs were in the form of a square 

 with the lioness in the middle, some sixty yards 

 separating them. When I took up my position the 

 horseman in front of me and the one in front of the 

 Masai moved away. It had been previously agreed 

 that at the next fight I was to go to within thirty yards 

 of the Hon at right angles, whilst the Masai waited 

 some seventy yards off" on my left, where they now 

 were. (I had found the half-moon idea did not work, 

 as I only got a picture of the Masai's backs, the lion 

 being covered out.) When I had fixed the camera 

 and was ready I was to give the signal for the charge 

 by holding up my hand. Two Masai accompanied 

 me as guards. When we got within thirty yards and 



205 



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