THE LION AND THE LAMP 133 



powerful trolley lamp. Thirty or 1'orty yards from 

 the railway line, the procession of the intrepid 

 Portuguese and Seot and the unwilling native 

 lantern carrier, who had got thus far in safety, 

 heard a terrific roar. The native swung round 

 to bolt, knocking over Clark by a blow on the 

 head with the lantern as he did so, and Clark lay 

 stunned. The one remaining effective, Machado, 

 fired into the noise, and taking Clark with him 

 beat an orderly retreat to the trolley, when, wise 

 at last, and gathering speed, they motored into 

 Benguella. 



It occasionally happens that a wounded lion 

 does not charge after his warning roar, when 

 followed in the daytime. This should happen 

 even less often at night, when he is always more 

 truculent. 



My two friends had just had a very lucky 

 escape, and should have learned a lesson ; but 

 just listen to what they did next day. 



With two or three other Portuguese gentlemen, 

 including a photographer and a large party of 

 unarmed natives, a search was made for the lion 

 as soon as the party could reach the scene of the 

 last night's adventure. A long line was apparently 

 formed at the point where the wounded lion had 

 rolled off the railway track the night before, and 

 the blood trail and spoor were followed up. Only 

 100 yards or so from the railway, the photo- 

 grapher spotted the lion's head, looking out of a 

 bush, and appealing to the " audience " not to 

 spoil a good chance of a dramatic photograph, 

 quietly walked towards the lion. 



