METHODS OF LION HUNTING 335 



swamp and slightly ahead of the line of beaters. 

 As the lion springs out it is up to the hunter near- 

 est to it to meet it with the traditional unerring shot. 



In our experience we beat dozens of swamps and 

 reed beds. Stephenson would take one side of the 

 swamp, I the other, while Akeley with his moving- 

 picture machine, would take the side best suited to 

 photographic purposes. He got some wonderful 

 results, two of which were records of the death of 

 two lionesses. 



Upon the first of these occasions the beaters had 

 worked down a long stretch of swamp and had 

 almost reached the end. Suddenly they showed an 

 agitated interest in something in front of them. 

 They thought it was a lion until an innocent by- 

 stander made an unauthorized guess that it was a 

 hyena. This reassured the beaters and they ad- 

 vanced boldly in the belief that it was a harmless 

 hyena. My valor rose in proportion and for the 

 same reason, and I strolled bravely over to the edge 

 of the reeds where a little opening appeared. It 

 was something of a shock to see two lions stroll sud- 

 denly into view. I fired, hitting the last one. Then 

 they both disappeared in the reeds ahead. 



It was amazing to note the sudden epidemic of 

 caution upon the part of all concerned. The beaters 

 refused to advance until Stephenson joined them 

 with his big rifle. I moved forward on the side 

 lines and the moving-picture machine reeled off 

 yards of film. 



A man has to appear brave when a camera is 



