XVIII LIONS ON THE ATHI PLAINS 201 
Worse was still to follow, for to our dismay both 
made a most determined charge on us, bounding along 
at a great pace and roaring angrily as they came. 
Poor Mahina cried out, “ Sahkzb, do sher ata hai /” 
(“ Master, wo lions are coming!”), but I told him 
to stand stock-still and for his life not to make the 
slightest movement. In the twinkling of an eye the 
two beasts had covered about forty yards of the dis- 
tance towards us. As they did not show the least sign 
of stopping, I thought we had given the experiment 
of remaining absolutely motionless a fair trial, and 
was just about to raise the rifle to my shoulder as a 
last resort, when suddenly the wounded lion 
stopped, staggered, and fell to the ground. The 
lioness took a couple of bounds nearer to us, 
and then to my unmeasured relief turned to look 
round for her mate, who had by this time managed 
to get to his feet again. There they both stood, 
growling viciously and lashing their tails, for what 
appeared to me to be a succession of ages. The 
lioness then made up her mind to go back to the 
lion, and they both stood broadside on, with their 
heads close together and turned towards us, snarling 
in a most aggressive manner. Had either of us 
moved hand or foot just then, it would, I am 
convinced, have at once brought on another and 
probably a fatal charge. 
As the two great brutes stood in this position 
