THE SETTIT RIVER 117 



However, the lion stood growling in the bushes 

 5 yards below us, and did not attempt to charge up 

 the hill, and we did not lose much time in retreating 

 further up to a safer position. We then saw the man 

 in the tree signalling to us, and it became practi- 

 cally certain that the lion could be seen from the bluff 

 which we had occupied originally. We therefore 

 made a second circuit for the original position, and 

 arrived there in safety, though M. did his best to 

 induce me to take a path which would again have 

 taken us within charging distance of the lion. No 

 sooner had I taken breath, and come out on the bluff, 

 than I saw the lion detect us, and stand up under a 

 tree under the far bank of the khor about 30 yards off. 

 The shot was not a nice one, as the lion was partially 

 obscured, but it was obviously now or never, as the 

 lion was full of fight, and we could never hope to 

 engage on more favourable terms, so I aimed for 

 what seemed to be about the middle of his body with 

 the 470, and pulled the trigger with the knowledge 

 that probably somebody's life depended on the shot. 

 As it turned out, both barrels of the 470 went off 

 simultaneously, and the recoil made me stagger back 

 with my helmet over my eyes, and my glasses all 

 awry. Fortunately, the result was all that could be 

 desired at the other end, as the lion was knocked 

 down and could be indistinctly seen lying under the 

 trees. The shikaris said that he still had life in him, 



