WITH FLASH-LIGHT AND RIFLE 



several men, I suspected them to be hungry and, there- 

 fore, most dangerous. I slowly joined the natives, who 

 were waiting at a distance. In vain I held a long 

 "schawri" (meeting). I could not persuade them to as- 

 sist me in an attack on the lions. I sent two men to the 

 camp for reinforcements. In the mean time, I induced 

 my men to proceed with me within two hundred paces 

 of the nearest lion, at whom I discharged my rifle. I 

 missed him. The angry beast leaped forward to attack 

 us, but stopped suddenly, roared, turned, and ran in an 

 opposite direction, followed by the three other lions. 

 The four lions were retreating two by two, and I deter- 

 mined to follow them with my men. However fast we 

 went, we did not seem to get nearer to the animals. I 

 made up my mind to have at least a shot at the last, the 

 nearest pair. The distance now was about four hun- 

 dred paces. I fired. It was a chance shot, but it might 

 prove a hit. The bullet made the earth fly about ten 

 paces behind the lions. One of the lions apparently re- 

 sented the shot; he stopped, faced us, roared, and beat 

 the ground with his tail. The other lion, too, faced 

 about. A second shot ; a third ; both were off the mark. 

 At last! The fourth shot proved a hit. The nearest 

 lion, wounded, went for us. After a few leaps, how- 

 ever, he stopped, crouching on the ground, growling 

 with rage. 



My blood was up. Against reason and common-sense, 

 I rushed forward alone, fired, and missed. The lion's 



218 



