200 THE MAN-EATERS OF TSAVO CHAP. 



kept his head full on us. When I had described 

 a half-circle, I found that the grass was no thinner 

 and that my chances of a shot had not improved. 

 We were now within seventy yards of the lion, 

 who appeared to take the greater interest in 

 us the closer we approached. He had lost the 

 sleepy look with which he had at first regarded 

 us, and was now fully on the alert ; but still he 

 did not give me the impression that he meant 

 to charge, and no doubt if we had not provoked 

 him, he would have allowed us to depart in peace. 

 I, however, was bent on war, in spite of the risk 

 which one must always run by attacking a lion 

 at such close quarters on an open plain as flat as 

 the palm of the hand ; so in a standing position 

 I took careful aim at his head, and fired. The 

 distance was, as I have said, a bare seventy yards ; 

 yet I must confess to a disgraceful miss. More 

 astonishing still, the beast made not the slightest 

 movement did not even blink an eye, so far as 

 I could see but continued his steadfast, questioning 

 gaze. Again I took aim, this time for a spot below 

 the tip of his nose, and again I fired with more 

 success, the lion turning a complete somersault over 

 his tail. I thought he was done for, but he 

 instantly sprang to his feet again, and to my horror 

 and astonishment was joined by a lioness whose 

 presence we had never even thought of or suspected. 



