XVII LIONS ON THE ATHI PLAINS 199 
ever, and we gradually approached it. When we 
were about a hundred yards off, the reddish object 
again appeared ; and | saw that it was nothing less 
than the shaggy head of a lion peeping over the 
long grass. This time Mahina also saw what it was, 
and called out, “ Dekko, Sahzb, sher/” (* Look, 
Master, a lion!”). I whispered to him to be quiet 
and to take no notice of him, while I tried my best 
to follow my own advice. So we kept on, edging up 
towards the beast, but apparently oblivious of his 
presence, as he lay there grimly watching us. As 
we drew nearer, I asked Mahina in a whisper if he 
felt equal to facing a charge from the sher if I 
should wound him. He answered simply that 
where I went, there would he go also; and right 
well he kept his word. 
I watched the lion carefully out of the corner of 
my eye as we closed in. Every now and then he 
would disappear from view for a moment; and it 
was a fascinating sight to see how he slowly raised 
his massive head above the top of the grass again 
and gazed calmly and steadily at us as we neared 
him. Unfortunately I could not distinguish the 
outline of his body, hidden as it was in the grassy 
thicket. I therefore circled cautiously round in 
order to see if the covert was sufficiently thin at 
the back to make a shoulder shot possible ; but as 
we moved, the lion also twisted round and so always 
