FIRST TRIP TO MEXICO 169 



It was interesting to see the dogs swim the river 

 and watch each one as they struck the trail satisfy 

 themselves that it was all right, relieve themselves 

 of their first long howl and tear off on the chase. 

 Nig, the smallest member of the pack, with his 

 little short barks and his tail going as fast as he 

 could make it wag from side to side, seemed to 

 be having the time of his life as he disappeared 

 over the ridge. By this time Hi had crossed, and 

 he knelt down over the tracks. "It's a lion and 

 an old big fellow, too," he announced, after ex- 

 amining the ground. Up the hill we climbed, 

 then, mounting our horses again, we had a good 

 run for several hundred yards ; here the lion had 

 turned off at right angles and had run down a 

 little dry canon; we followed down at one side 

 until, coming out on a rock ledge, we left our 

 horses and followed on foot. The dogs were in 

 plain hearing and near by. 



"Come on! You'll get him now; they are hold- 

 ing him up just below here," yelled Hi. I was 

 not long in reaching the pack, which had the 

 lion treed in a low oak. He was intently watch- 

 ing the dogs, baring his teeth and lashing his tail. 

 The canon at this point was very narrow and I 

 was on the other side, some thirty yards from the 

 lion, when he discovered me. As I took aim He 



