With Flashlight and Rifle -* 



rifle, as already mentioned, I backed cautiously to where 

 my men were. Now followed a " Schauri " a conference 

 with them, in which I endeavoured to make them come 

 on with me, but in vain. 



At last I sent back two carriers, who had returned 

 from securing the two antelopes I had shot, to the camp 

 for reinforcements. Without waiting for their arrival, 

 however, I determined, being now myself again, and 

 having at last induced my men to approach within two 

 hundred paces of the lions, to manage the thing single- 

 handed. I fired at the nearest of them, but missed. At 

 once he came springing towards us, but at about the 

 twentieth spring he stopped, roared, and then wheeled 

 round slowly. Upon this all the lions made off walking 

 at first, then at a trot, and finally at an awkward kind of 

 a gallop going two by two. Later they parted company, 

 still in pairs. Thus began one of the most interesting 

 and exciting adventures of my whole journey. 



We followed the hindmost of the two pairs for about 

 half an hour over the plain, always in the direction of 

 the setting sun. We ran uninterruptedly, except when 

 the lions stood still and eyed us ; then we walked. We 

 gasped for breath presently, only two of my men keeping 

 up with me. But I had become so set on bagging these 

 two lions that I achieved what was probably the quickest 

 and longest run of my life and I have memories of many 

 wagers won over long runs ! I was determined to get a 

 shot at him, coiite que coute \ 



Soon their distance from us was narrowed to about 

 400 paces then it went up to 500 again, and 600. 



370 



