118 SPOET IN THE EASTERN SUDAN 



so that I took another shot with the handy little -350, 

 which evoked no response, and after waiting for ten 

 minutes or so we descended into the khor, noting 

 how unsuspiciously we were walking into the lion's 

 mouth in the first instance, and advanced to within 

 10 yards of the lion. But as I saw his jaws still 

 working, I fired another shot from the -350, which 

 left no doubt of his final decease ; and presently began 

 to admire our dead trophy, and the two shikaris began 

 to tell most alarming stories of the presents that they 

 would expect from me in future, presents which on 

 this occasion they had certainly fully earned. We 

 sent for a baggage-camel, and returned with the 

 lioness, as she turned out to be, to our camp, which 

 was still only a bare half-mile away. She taped 

 8 feet, and weighed 250 lb., being obviously very 

 much older than my first specimen, having no spots, 

 and being apparently with young. The shot from 

 the machan had obviously gone through her stomach 

 and left her entrails protruding, which fully explained 

 her subsequent proceedings, and possibly her dis- 

 inclination for an uphill charge, though she had 

 bounded across the flat in the most determined 

 fashion, and as I had previously noted in the case of 

 leopards, the springing movement would have made 

 the shot to stop her as difficult as could be imagined. 

 The two 470 bullets had apparently entered her side 

 and torn her entrails all to pieces, there being no sign 



