vin DEATH OF THE FIRST MAN-EATER 89 



one of the brutes." Profound silence again 

 succeeded ; I sat on my eyrie like a statue, every 

 nerve tense with excitement. Very soon, how- 

 ever, all doubt as to the presence of the lion 

 was dispelled. A deep long-drawn sigh sure 

 sign of hunger came up from the bushes, and the 

 rustling commenced again as he cautiously advanced. 

 In a moment or two a sudden stop, followed by an 

 angry growl, told me that my presence had been 

 noticed ; and I began to fear that disappointment 

 awaited me once more. 



But no ; matters quickly took an unexpected turn. 

 The hunter became the hunted ; and instead of 

 either making off or coming for the bait prepared 

 for him, the lion began stealthily to stalk me ! For 

 about two hours he horrified me by slowly creeping 

 round and round my crazy structure, gradually 

 edging his way nearer and nearer. Every moment 

 I expected him to rush it ; and the staging had not 

 been constructed with an eye to such a possibility. 

 If one of the rather flimsy poles should break, or if 

 the lion could spring the twelve feet which separated 

 me from the ground . . . the thought was scarcely 

 a pleasant one. I began to feel distinctly "creepy," 

 and heartily repented my folly in having placed my- 

 self in such a dangerous position. I kept perfectly 

 still, however, hardly daring even to blink my eyes : 

 but the long-continued strain was telling on my 

 nerves, and my feelings may be better imagined than 



