222 THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO CHAP. 
well to the flank so as to be ready for any emergency. 
Just as the men got up toa rather thicker piece of 
jungle than usual, I fancied I saw a movement 
among the bushes and pulled up suddenly to watch 
the spot, but did not dismount. The next moment 
out bounded a lioness, who raced straight across the 
open strip into the next patch of jungle, quickly 
followed by another. Throwing myself off my pony, 
I seized my rifle to get a shot at the second lioness as 
she galloped past, and was just about to pull the 
trigger, when to my utter amazement out sprang a 
huge black-maned lion, making all haste after his 
mates. Before he could reach the further thicket, 
however, I fired, and had the satisfaction of hearing 
the deep growl that tells of a serious hit. 
The beaters and I now advanced with great care, 
taking advantage of every bit of cover and keeping 
a sharp look-out for the wounded animal as we crept 
from tree to tree. Fully a quarter of an hour must 
have elapsed in this slow yet exciting search, before 
one of the men, some fifty or sixty yards to my left, 
and a little ahead of the line, called out that he could 
see the lion awaiting our approach, with his head just 
visible in alarge bed of rushes only a short distance 
in front of where I then was. Almost at the same 
moment I found blood marks left by the wounded 
animal, leading apparently to a kind of gap in the 
bank of the river, which had evidently been worn 
