72 THE LAND OF THE LION 



game. But never a lion! I had hunted early and late, 

 risen before the sun, morning after morning, and sat up in a 

 machan* all the night, but never shot at a lion. I had 

 walked all round Donyea Sabuk and never seen a lion, 

 while two other men who had walked part of the way round, 

 beginning at the opposite side to mine, had shot four. 



You can fancy that after waiting so long a time, and just 

 missing getting one so often, I was pretty keen set on lions. 



J. J. W., naturally, like most Americans, wanted every- 

 thing he could get, so he was not above trying for a lion 

 also, and on his way to get the king, he was pretty sure in 

 the country we were now in, to be able to secure a specimen 

 of most of his subjects. Here then, happily, as in other 

 things, we found ourselves of the same mind. Game herds 

 there were everywhere, and also abundant evidence that 

 hundreds of elephants had lately been, not only crossing the 

 plateau, but resting and feeding on it. So it was with great 

 expectations we moved northward from the rock. 



On May 26th, J. J. W. and his hunter saw the first lions, 

 two females. They offered no chance and made off into 

 long grass bordering the river. Following on, the cover 

 grew thicker, and as there was ominous growling they 

 left them. On getting back to the mule, J. J. W found 

 his syce and the porter who was with him, in a great state 

 of perturbation. They declared that soon as he had entered 

 the cover, four lions, one a large male, had broken back 

 and crossed the open glade behind the guns. There 

 were, therefore, either four or six lions in all in that bunch. 

 But unarmed black men may be pardoned if they exaggerate. 

 During the next two nights we heard lions constantly 

 and once on the march I had a glimpse of two great dark- 

 maned fellows who heard the sefaris rattle, and made off 

 before we came within shot. Had I known then, what I 

 learned afterward, that the very best country to follow 



* Platform built in a tree. 



