272 After Big Game in Central Africa 



I now reach my third hunt, undoubtedly less 

 extraordinary than the preceding, but meriting narra- 

 tion because it was concluded by the capture of cubs. 



Two months after the day on which the three 

 lions were killed namely, in December the expedi- 

 tion was on the march. We reached water about 

 three o'clock in the afternoon. At that hour I kill a 

 wart-hog for dinner. The carriers arrive, the camp 

 is pitched for the night, and I set off, as is my 

 custom, to inspect the surroundings in search of 

 game. Kambombe alone accompanies me. In 

 descending the stream on the banks of which we 

 have camped, I see many lion spoor, which set me 

 thinking of a means of establishing a night-watch at 

 that spot. But the spoor are yesterday's. We will 

 see if there are any of to-day. I remain, therefore, 

 on one side, while Kambombe crosses the stream and 

 searches on the other. I proceed noiselessly over the 

 damp soil, and skirt a plain covered with thick 

 vegetation which overhangs the river by about a 

 yard. Wishing to glance over the plain, I climb on 

 to the slope and first of all expose my head, next my 

 shoulders, and then my body as necessity requires in 

 my examination of the surroundings. These seem to 

 me deserted, but ]00 yards away I distinguish some- 

 thing in the grass which may be either the trunk 

 of a fallen tree or an animal. I raise myself a little 

 higher. The object moves. I make a sign to Kam- 

 bombe to come to me. But he himself cannot say 

 what it is. We must get nearer. In order to do so 

 we descend to the level of the river and noiselessly 



