HUNTING ELEPHANT AND RIDING LION 177 



each other, when one of H.'s Massai comes rushing up, 

 running as only a Massai can, and pants out, "simba." 

 Sure enough, we had ridden by another lion, who was mak- 

 ing his way homeward. Doubtless as the chase tore by, he 

 crouched. Anyway, all our eyes fixed on our own lion, we 

 never saw him. But as the running men behind us came 

 along, he moved aside, and now, they said, he was making 

 for the swamp over the very country we had passed. Would 

 the ponies stand it ? He had such a start, more than a mile, 

 and the swamp was not over two and a half miles away. 

 Try, anyway. So it's up and off again. 



Fortunately for us, this time our lion didn't hurry him- 

 self, and not being pressed, proceeded with some deliber- 

 ation. Still, to cut him off from that green, upstanding 

 papyrus wall, seemed impossible. He was watching the 

 rush of his enemies, evidently, for as the ponies were driven, 

 not after him, but at right angles to his course, he came 

 almost at them, as he galloped down the long slope, leading 

 to the reedy river that flowed out of the swamp above. 

 We were riding for all we were worth, and as near to the 

 river edge as we dare go, he to our left on higher ground, 

 we below him, edging minute by minute more and more 

 between him and his one chance of escape. Now horses 

 and lion were done. H., quite close by this time, could 

 see his tongue hanging out like the tongue of a fagged dog. 

 He'll race no more. He turns and comes right down the 

 incline. H., riding finely, makes one more attempt to 

 head him off, but his gallant pony is spent, and boggs 

 badly in the soft ground. At a few yards distance the lion 

 jogs by him, and H. throws himself from his pony, and, 

 as the beast almost gains the outer and thinner fringe 

 of reeds, takes a snap shot at him in hope of making him 

 turn and stand. The bullet cut the flesh of his hind leg 

 without breaking the bone, and the brave beast wheels to 

 it like a flash, and growling loudly, advances on H. I 



