With Flashlight and Rifle -* 



once, and succeeded in tracking it. Curious to relate, 

 the lion led us round and round almost in a circle for 

 two hours or more ! Often I came quite near him, but 

 each time he would rush off again, then once more slow- 

 down to a walking-pace. At last I was obliged to give 



O 1 t 7 



up the chase, as the tracks could no longer be made out 

 they crossed and re-crossed so often. With just a little 

 better luck I might have succeeded in getting a shot, 



O O O 



as the lion let us come so near him sometimes in the 

 thicket. In contrast with the other lion which I had 

 killed, this one gave out no sound all the time we were 

 following him. The other growled chiefly, no doubt, on 

 account of the pain he was suffering. 



I had unusual luck in an adventure with lions which 

 I met with on November loth, 1903, between Meru 

 Mountain and Kilimanjaro. We had been obliged to 

 encamp out on the velt without water, and the following 

 morning my caravan had to move forward to the nearest 

 watering-place, seven hours' march away. Shortly before 

 reaching this a small swamp with a pool ot muddy water 

 in it I noticed a great gathering of wild animals of all 

 kinds, which, however, I left unmolested. Herds of oryx, 

 zebras, and Grant's gazelles stood quite near us to right 

 and left, and a great herd of giraffes. The splendid 

 animals had come quite close before they saw me, and 

 pounded away again in full flight. As usual, I was 

 marching at the head of my caravan, followed, as always, 

 by my guide and carriers. Suddenly one of my Wando- 

 robo pointed to a spot to our left, among a lot of stinging- 



384 



