190 LIFE WITH THE HAMRAN ARABS. 



guests. Owing to the extreme dryness of the long 

 grass, it was impossible to prevent their approach being 

 heard, and away went a lion without giving the chance of 

 a shot. They then made a short cut to the bank of the 

 river-bed, hoping thus to head him ; but he had the start, 

 and on their arriving there they found he had crossed it, 

 and could see him some way off trotting along quite 

 leisurely. A shot was then fired with the hope of making 

 him stop ; but he declined, and crossing another bend of 

 the dry bed of the Royan was for a moment lost to view. 

 Following in his course, and mounting the bank beyond 

 which he was last seen, he again came into view ; and 

 now another shot had the desired effect of bringing 

 him to a standstill. Vivian then crept towards him 

 under cover of one of the large anthills, and from this 

 point he could just see the head as, crouching in the 

 grass, the lion faced him. This time Vivian hit him, and 

 quite altered his tactics, for with one fore-leg crippled 

 he sprang forward, and at the same moment Vivian fired 

 again but without effect. Vivian's only chance now was 

 his second rifle, but on turning round to take it from 

 Mohamed he found to his disgust that hunter and rifle 

 were rapidly disappearing. By this time the lion was 

 within ten yards of him and still advancing, so with an 

 unloaded rifle there was nothing left for him to do but 

 to follow Mohamed as fast as his legs would carry him, 

 hoping that he could outrun his crippled adversary, and 



