THE LAND OF FOOTPRINTS 



mine accurately the number of beasts that had made 

 them. 



'^They have gone to drink water," said Memba 

 Sasa. 



We slipped along the twisting paths, alert for 

 indications; came to the edge of the thicket, stooped 

 through the fringe, and descended to the stream 

 under the tall trees. The soft earth at the water's 

 edge was covered with tracks, thickly, overlaid one 

 over the other. The boys felt of the earth, examined 

 even smelled, and came to the conclusion that the 

 beasts must have watered about five o'clock. If 

 so, they might be ten miles away, or as many 

 rods. 



We had difficulty in determining just where the 

 party left this place, until finally Kongoni caught 

 sight of suspicious indications over the way. The 

 lions had crossed the stream. We did likewise, 

 followed the trail out of the thicket, into the grass, 

 below the little cliffs parallel to the stream, back into 

 the thicket, across the river once more, up the other 

 side, in the thicket for a quarter mile, then out into 

 the grass on that side, and so on. They were evi- 

 dently wandering, rather idly, up the general course 

 of the stream. Certainly, unlike most cats, they 

 did not mind getting their feet wet, for they crossed 

 the stream four times. 



156 



