THE RAHAD RIVER 187 



a cow close to Hawata village. I at once made prepara- 

 tions to put up a machan, and by 3 p.m. was on 

 the spot. The remains of the cow formed a mere 

 skeleton, with a few crows at work on the bones, but 

 there was long grass close by, into which the lions had 

 obviously retreated, so I decided to erect a machan 

 as noiselessly as possible in a suitable babul-tree, tie 

 up a goat, and sit up all night. I therefore sent 

 hastily back to camp for a goat, chupatties, jam, 

 and sardines for dinner. By 5 p.m. the machan 

 was ready, fairly high up, but most inadequately 

 screened with a little nabbuk, the babul being almost 

 bare of leaves. M. turned up in due time with a young 

 black goat, and by sunset I was up in the machan 

 eating jam and chupatties ; when, just as a piece of 

 chupattie was on the way to my mouth, I saw a 

 smallish lioness walk out of the grass 30 yards 

 to the right of my machan and commence to stalk 

 the goat. As there was no screen on this side, all 

 that I could do was to remain quite motionless. This 

 had the desired effect and the lioness gradually 

 approached the goat, and as she passed under a bush 

 I aligned my rifle on the goat, but had no time to 

 cock it. The lioness then ran somewhat slowly 

 towards the goat, which had its back to her, and 

 appeared to take no notice, though it had ceased 

 calling; but just as I was preparing to shoot, 

 she ran back 20 yards. I thought that this was 



