AFRICAN CAMP FIRES 



saw the same thing. A quarter mile away and 

 on the sidehill opposite a magnificent lioness came 

 loping easily along through the grass. She looked 

 very small at that distance, like a toy, and quite 

 unhurried. Indeed, every few moments she paused 

 to look back in an annoyed fashion over her shoulder 

 in the direction of the row behind her. 



There was nothing to do but sit tight and wait. 

 The lioness was headed exactly to cross our front; 

 nor, except at one point, was she at all likely to 

 deviate. A shallow tributary ravine ran into our 

 own about two hundred yards away. She might 

 possibly sneak down the bed of this. It seemed 

 unlikely. The going was bad, and in addition 

 she had no idea as yet that she had been sighted. 

 Indeed, the chances were that she would come to a 

 definite stop before making the crossing, in which 

 case we would get a shot. 



"And if she does go down the donga," whispered 

 Hill, "the dogs will locate her." 



Sitting still while things approach is always excit- 

 ing. This is true of ducks; but when you multiply 

 ducks by lions it is still more true. We all crouched 

 very low in the grass. She leaped without hesitation 

 into the ravine — and did not emerge. 



This was a disappointment. We concluded she 

 must have entered the stream bottom, and were 



IS2 



