xxn HOW ROSHAN KHAN SAVED MY LIFE 249 



the top of the grass I saw that my shot had told, as 

 she was on her back, clawing the air and growling 

 viciously. As she looked to me to be done for, I 

 shouted to some of the men to remain behind and 

 watch her, wjiile I set off once more at a run to try 

 to catch up the lion. I feared that the check with 

 the lioness might have lost him to me altogether, 

 but to my relief I soon caught sight of him again. 

 He had not made off very quickly, and had probably 

 stopped several times to see what I was up to ; 

 indeed the men, who could see him all the time, 

 afterwards told me that when he heard the growl of 

 rage from the lioness after she was shot, he made 

 quite a long halt, apparently deliberating whether he 

 should return to her rescue. Evidently, however, 

 he had decided that discretion was the better part of 

 valour. Fortunately he was travelling leisurely, 

 and I was delighted to find that I was gaining on 

 him fast ; but I had still to run about two hundred 

 yards at my best pace, which, at an altitude of more 

 than 5,000 feet above sea-level, leaves one very 

 breathless at the end of it. 



When the lion perceived me running towards 

 him, he took up his station under a tree, where he 

 was half hidden by some low bushes, above which 

 only his head showed. Here he stood, watching 

 my every movement and giving vent to his anger 

 at my presence in low, threatening growls. I did 



