MY FIRST LION 103 



Maddened, but not even scratched by the bullets, the 

 lioness covered the remaining distance at an awful pace. 

 Ten yards off, not another inch, when a shot from the man 

 seated on the antheap, full between the eyes, averted a 

 tragedy. It is madness to shoot at a really charging lion, 

 at any such distance as that at which this man and his gun- 

 bearer shot; for be it always remembered, shooting and 

 missing demoralizes all hands. Nineteen times out of twenty, 

 however, a lion comes slowly when he charges. As you 

 watch him at a distance, it seems very slowly at first. The 

 man in his front may not be able so accurately to gauge 

 his pace. Gradually he quickens, and crouching may 

 make the last few yards very fast indeed. He sometimes 

 stands for a moment before finally closing. The Masai 

 who still spear many lions, in the old days killed many more 

 than they do now. They told me positively that when 

 their warriors were charged by a lion they always stood 

 stock still. To move meant death, to stand quite immov- 

 able meant that before closing, the lion, if unwounded 

 would stand, too. Then came the spearman's one chance. 

 The stories you hear of lions charging when unwounded, 

 and from a distance, are generally like the same sort of story 

 told about rhino or elephant, gross exaggerations. Con- 

 fused by the shooting, the beast rushes away and may come 

 your way; or again, he will run up to have a nearer look. 

 A missionary I knew was in this way "charged," as many 

 would call it, by three lions, a male and two females. He 

 had two cartridges only, and an unreliable .303 carbine. 

 The lion ran up to within twelve yards, he estimated it, 

 and on his standing firm, growled, and ran back to the 

 lionesses. Then a lioness would go through the same 

 most trying performance. He standing still, she, too, 

 retired. This happened no less than four times. Last 

 the lion came so close that the missionary, feeling that this 

 time he was coming in, fired and shot away one of his large 



