ax A DAY ON THE ATHI RIVER, 221 
the stream itself widens out into a broad stretch of 
water, nearly always covered over with tall reeds 
and elephant grass, while along the banks are 
frequent patches of stunted bushes, which struck me 
as very likely places for the king of beasts to sleep in 
after having drunk at the river. I had noticed that 
after having eaten and drunk well, a lion would 
throw himself down quite without caution in the 
first shady spot he came to; of course nothing 
except man ever disturbs him, and even of man the 
lions in this part of the country had as yet no fear, 
for they had rarely if ever been hunted previous to 
my time. 
As I felt rather tired after my morning’s work, I 
decided to use my pony on this expedition, although 
as arule I went on foot. Mahina and half-a-dozen 
natives to beat the belt of trees were to accompany 
me, and after a hasty lunch off we started up the left 
bank of the river. I walked for some distance at 
first, partly because the ground was very stony and 
partly because I thought a lion might suddenly 
bound out of some likely patches in front of the 
beaters ; but after having gone about six miles in 
this way without adventure of any kind, I decided 
to mount again. At this time the beaters were in 
line about a hundred yards behind me, shouting and 
halloing with all their might as they advanced 
through the scrub and undergrowth, while I rode 
