AFRICAN CAMP FIRES 



with the horses, kept pace with us on the ^kyline 

 atop, and two or three hundred yards away. 



We had proceeded in this fashion for about a 

 mile, when suddenly and most unexpectedly, the 

 biggest lion I ever saw leaped straight up from a 

 bush twenty-five yards in front of me and with a 

 tremendous roar vanished behind another bush. I 

 had just time to throw up the .405 shotgun-fashion 

 and let drive a snap shot. Clifford Hill, who was 

 ten yards to my right, saw the fur fly, and we all 

 heard the snarl as the bullet hit. Naturally we 

 expected an instant charge, but, as things turned out, 

 it was evident the lion had not seen us at all. He 

 had leaped at the sight of our men and horses on 

 the skyline, and when the bullet hit he must have 

 ascribed it to them. At any rate, he began to 

 circle through the tangled vines toward their direc- 

 tion. 



From their elevation they could follow his move- 

 ments. At once they set up howls of terror and 

 appeals for help. Some began frantically to run 

 back and forth. None of them tried to run away; 

 there was nowhere to go! 



The only thing that saved them was the thick 

 and spiky character of the cover. The lion, instead 

 of charging straight and fast, was picking an easy 

 way. 



182 



