240 THE LAND OF THE LION 



Five o'clock tea, the most pleasant of all the incidents 

 in a pleasant day, was just over, when in rushed a "boy" 

 to say that two great lions (simba koubwa) were feeding on 

 a kongoni not half a mile away. He was a thoughtful 

 fellow too, for he had left his comrade (they always go out 

 from camp two and two) up a tree, marking them. 



We had come down from the high veldt into a grassy and 

 bushy country most unsuitable for riding. J. J. W. had that 

 morning come on two fine lions, and had very wisely refused 

 to let his syce or his hunter attempt to ride. And when I 

 swung on to my faithful mule, I had no intention on earth 

 of "riding" these lions just reported to me nor I think had 

 H. We simply mounted as the men brought our riding 

 animals round, because we could see better from their 

 backs. 



It was quickly arranged that J. J. W. should go with 

 his man, cautiously up to the kill, and H. and I and my 

 mounted syce, swung far off to the right, just in case the 

 lions might slip off that way, wounded or not. 



From a distance we watched our friends approach the 

 kill, the boy in the tree signalling to them the place. They 

 drew up to it, looked around. No shot rang out. The lions 

 had cleared. Where ? We cantered forward on a chance, 

 the going very bad. Rocky ridges, bushes crowded together, 

 and long grass. A mere chance if we see them at all. Right 

 to the rear of the kill, some six hundred yards back of it, 

 there was a narrow clear grass ridge. As we looked, there 

 surely yes, there were two very fine males, racing side by 

 side across it, and almost directly athwart our front. 



That sight was, I fear, too much for us. Anyway, 

 with a yell we plunged forward and once going there was no 

 holding back. How amid that labyrinth of bushes and grass 

 we held them I don 't know. It was indeed a hard bit of riding. 

 But by dint of "going it blind" we did. J. J. W. 's syce had 

 come up on my left. He was very well mounted and rode 



