AN EXPEDITION BY CAR 



enjoying the meal the lions soon made their presence 

 known by ominous growls. One of the officers declared 

 that there were seven of them at least. 



After this nobody wanted a second invitation to 

 come over to my fire, where at all events we were 

 safe. 



But the wish to shoot one of these monsters 

 overcame their desire for safety, and the new arrivals 

 at once began to make preparations for an amateur 

 lion hunt. 



The headlights of the car were switched on and the 

 engine started. One officer sat beside the driver, 

 while the other with five mechanics got inside, every 

 man being armed with a rifle. 



I stayed behind at the fire. 



They had scarcely gone sixty yards across the 

 aerodrome when they stopped dead. There in the 

 full glare of the headlights was a lioness reclining 

 on the ground, with an old lion standing beside her, 

 only thirty yards from the car ! 



The two officers jumped out and opened fire, 

 but not with the desired effect, although I knew after- 

 wards that one of the lions had been pretty badly 

 wounded, for a few minutes later one came round 

 the back of my tent growling terribly, and emitting 

 such fearful groans that I could not help feeHng sorry 

 for the animal. 



Luckily it did not attempt to attack me. If it 



235 



