THE SECOND LIONESS 



a shallow depression with banks not over a foot 

 high, and with a varying width of from two to two- 

 hundred feet. The grass grew very patchy, and not 

 very high; in fact, it seemed hardly tall enough to 

 conceal anything as large as a lioness. We men 

 walked along the edge of this depression, while the 

 dogs ranged back and forth in its bottom. 



We had gone thus a quarter mile when one of 

 the rear guard came running up. 



''^Bwana^'* said he, "we have seen the lioness. 

 She is lying in a patch of grass. After you had 

 passed, we saw her raise her head." 



It seemed impossible that she should have escaped 

 both our eyes and the dogs' noses, but we returned. 

 The man pointed out a thin growth of dried, yellow 

 grass ten feet in diameter. Then it seemed even 

 more incredible. Apparently we could look right 

 through every foot of it. The man persisted so we 

 advanced in battle array. At thirty yards Captain 

 Duirs saw the black tips of her ears. We all looked 

 hard, and at last made her out, lying very flat, 

 her head between her paws. Even then she was 

 shadowy and unreal, and, as I have said, the cover 

 did not look thick enough to conceal a good-sized 

 dog. 



As though she realized she had been sighted, she 

 at this moment leaped to her feet. Instantly I 



179 



