In the Jungle with Lions 83 



I am persuaded that, if we had unfortunately 

 arrived without precaution from the other side, and 

 the animal had seen us, it would have made a supreme 

 effort, and would have charged us, which would have 

 been the death of the first of us it met. One must be 

 exceedingly prudent in the tall grass with a wounded 

 lion, and when there is no tree to serve as an outlook 

 it is better to give up the chase and lose the animal, 

 since you know neither what you are doing nor where 

 you are going. Pursuit is already very perilous over 

 semi-open ground, for you cannot imagine how easily 

 a crouching lion can hide itself when it likes, the 

 smallest bush is sufficient, and when you see it, it is 

 too late. There is, of course, the last resort of taking 

 a snap shot, which one often does instinctively and 

 without bringing the rifle to the shoulder under the 

 emotion of the moment ; but that is not taking aim, 

 it is a matter of chance, and in these meetings with 

 lions you must never rely on chance. 



When you have dogs it is different, because first 

 of all they warn you of the presence of the animal, 

 and then, by circling round it, they occupy its atten- 

 tion sufficiently to allow you to draw near and to 

 fire. Farther on it will be seen that I have never 

 had these auxiliaries : otherwise in certain regions 



year later. I reconstituted the scene on the very spot where I had 

 killed a wounded lion a few minutes before. 



This lion, without being of extraordinary build, was a very fine 

 one. Its measurements were : withers, 2 feet 8 inches ; length, 9 feet 

 6 inches ; and skull, 1 foot 2 inches by 8 inches. It was in the full 

 force of its maturity. Its mane contained hairs which were darker 

 than the majority. 



